'Offensive content against PM': Appellate Division upholds bail of Rajbari Mahila Dal leader

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld the High Court order granting bail to Sonia Akter Smrity, a Mahila Dal leader of Rajbari, in a case filed over posting "offensive" content on Facebook against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui passed the order withdrawing the stay order of the Chamber Court.

Senior Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, Barrister Kayser Kamal and Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared in the court for Smriti. Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed represented the state.

Now there is no bar to the release of the Mahila Dal leader, Barrister Kayser Kamal said.

Smrity, wife of Md Khokon Mia of No 3 Beradanga area of Rajbari Sadar, is a member of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal's Rajbari district unit.

On 2 November last year, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, M Enayetur Rahim, stayed the bail order granted by the High Court till 7 November.

The High Court granted interim bail to Smrity in the case on 1 November.

Police arrested Smrity on 4 October in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) for posting offensive status on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook.

Arefin Chowdhury, member secretary of Rajbari district Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, lodged an FIR against her.

On 5 October, Judge Kaisun Nahar Surma of Rajbari No 1 Judicial Magistrate Court rejected Smrity's bail plea and ordered to send her to jail.

On 26 October, Rajbari Sessions Judge Court also denied bail to Smrity which prompted her to seek bail from the HC.

In her bail plea, Smrity requested the HC to consider her as a woman and a mother of two children.

According to the FIR, the accused BNP activist made "insulting remarks" about PM Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, from her personal Facebook account in two separate statuses on 31 August and 28 September.