Bangladeshi Journalist Freed on Bail

The Bangladeshi journalist arrested while working as a translator for two Channel 4 documentary-makers has finally been freed on bail.

But another, Reporters Sans Frontieres local correspondent Saleem Samad, remains in prison awaiting a bail hearing.

Priscila Raz was let out of jail today, 11 days after Channel 4 reporter and cameraman Zaiba Malik and Bruno Sorrentino were freed and deported.

Raz was acting as interpreter to Malik and Sorrentino who were working for independent production company Mentorn Midlands. They had been commissioned by Channel 4 to make a documentary for its Unreported World series.

Raz was arrested on November 25 and charged with helping the journalists "tarnish the image of Bangladesh".

The country's high court granted her bail on December 18, but she was only released from Dhaka central jail late Sunday as the court order did not reach the prison authorities for four days, a jail official said on condition of anonymity.

The government accused the journalists of portraying Bangladesh as a haven for terrorists and detained them on suspicion of spreading anti-state propaganda.

Raz has denied the charge against her as "baseless", telling the court during her bail hearing last week that she worked merely as an interpreter.

She also retracted a confession, given to a judge earlier, saying it was obtained under coercion, her lawyer Abdul Mannan said.

Samad was also charged with sedition for aiding the foreign journalists. He has a bail hearing before the high court this week.

Reporters Sans Frontieres, the international press watchdog, has claimed Samad was beaten during interrogation by the police and intelligence services in a Dhaka jail.

Raz and Samad could face life in prison if convicted of sedition.

Bangladeshi officials decided to deport Malik and Sorrentino after they agreed to sign a statement saying they would not use any of the footage they had collected in Bangladesh.

Their arrests provoked protests from Bangladeshi and foreign journalists, including Reporters Sans Frontieres, which condemned their detainment as a "serious attack on press freedom".

BBC news chiefs also wrote to the Bangladeshi high commission demanding the journalists' release.

Bangladesh has repeatedly denied foreign media reports that it has become a safe haven for al-Qaida terrorists.

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "Channel 4 is extremely relieved that Priscila Raz has been released on bail and our hope is that Saleem Samad will also be released shortly."