Kurigram Correspondent:

The High Court has granted six months’ interim bail to former Kurigram deputy commissioner (DC) Sultana Parveen in a case filed over the alleged torture of journalist Ariful Islam Rigan.

A vacation bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Yusuf Abdullah Sumon issued the order in response to a bail petition submitted on her behalf on Tuesday (September9).

Confirming the news, Sultana’s lawyer, Fayzullah Fayez, told journalists there is no legal obstacle to her release from jail.

Earlier, on 2 September, she appeared before the Kurigram District and Sessions Judge Court and sought bail.

Judge Mosammat Ismat Ara Begum rejected her petition and ordered her to be sent to jail. Following this, she applied to the High Court for bail.

The incident occurred on the night of 13 March 2020, when a mobile court of the Kurigram district administration raided the house of journalist Ariful Islam.

He was allegedly blindfolded, picked up, taken to the DC’s office, tortured, and threatened with being killed in “crossfire” due to publishing reports on irregularities in the administration.

He was later sentenced to one year in prison on the spot and sent to jail for allegedly possessing half a bottle of liquor and 150 grams of marijuana.

The incident drew widespread criticism, and Ariful was released on bail the following day.

Later that month, he filed a case in the District and Sessions Judge Court against then DC Sultana Parveen, then revenue deputy collector Nazim Uddin, then assistant commissioner Rahatul Islam, and then executive magistrate Rintu Bikash Chakma.