Jhumon Das granted bail in DSA case, warned for provocative posts
Jhumon Das Apon of Sunamganj – who was arrested in a Digital Security Act (DSA) case in August this year – has been granted six-month bail on condition of refraining from making provocative posts on Facebook.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan gave the order on Sunday (13 November), Jhumon's lawyer ZI Khan Panna confirmed the matter and said Jhumon signed a bond to comply with the court.
Earlier on 30 August, police arrested Jhumon from his house for a Facebook status which reportedly disrupted communal harmony in the district.
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When contacted, Jhumon's brother Nupur Das said, "The police picked him up at around 11am that day claiming communal incitement.
"The police have been following him for the last two days. The law enforcers took his mobile and some of his Facebook posts were deleted as well," he added.
Apparently, Jhumon had shared a viral photo from his personal Facebook account which showed a mosque donation box kept inside a Hindu temple.
According to sources, the locals became very agitated after seeing Jhumon Das's post.
Earlier on 15 March, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh arranged a rally named 'Shan-e-Risalat Sammelan' in Sunamganj's Dirai upazila, where its former Ameer Junaid Babunagari and joint secretary general Manunul Haque delivered sermons.
Following the rally, Jhumon Das posted a status on Facebook opining that Mamunul Haque's speech was disruptive to communal harmony, this was propagated as a derogatory comment against the Hefazat, and that led to mayhem in Noagaon village of Shalla upazila on 17 March.
During the mayhem, miscreants vandalised and looted about 90 Hindu houses.
Police detained Jhumon on 16 March to avoid a possible attack on the village, but the attempt went in vain. They showed Jhumon arrested under section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and produced him before a Sunamganj court on 17 March that sent him to jail.
He remained in jail ever since. The incident caused a stir across the country. Thirty people were arrested in the next two days following the attack.
On 19 March, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested Shahidul Islam, the mastermind of the attack.
Jhumon Das filed bail petitions in the trial court seven times and once in the High Court. Following the rejection of bail pleas multiple times, he filed a fresh plea seeking bail from the High Court and secured bail, says the petitioner's lawyer.
Back in September 2021, Jhumon secured one year bail from the High Court in a case under DSA, and was released from jail. The HC granted Jhumon Das bail after hearing his bail plea.
