Rozina Islam, senior correspondent of the Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo, was handed over to Shahbagh police by the Health Ministry reportedly after confining her for five hours inside the Secretariat.
"Rozina is currently at the Shahbagh police station. She will be questioned to know what happened at the Secretariat," said Sub-Inspector Abdullah, duty officer of Shahbagh police station.
He said that no complaint had been filed until the filing of this report at 10:30pm. Journalists from different outlets were demonstrating in front of the police station, demanding her release.
Maidul Islam, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, informed the media that Rozina Islam had been handed over to police for taking pictures of secret documents with her mobile phone. She also took some documents along with her from the room of Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, personal secretary (PS) to the Secretary of Health Services Division, in his absence.
However, Rozina Islam said that she had gone to meet the Health Services Division secretary. At the time, PS Saiful Islam Bhuiyan misbehaved with her. She claimed that she had not taken any files from the room.
At one moment of her confinement, Rozina fell unconscious.
Sajjad Sharif, managing editor of the Prothom Alo, told reporters that the newspaper would issue an official statement in this regard soon.
National Press Club President Farida Yasmin has condemned the alleged harassment of Rozina Islam. She demanded proper investigation into the incident.
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