The High Court on Thursday granted interim bail for six months to BNP joint secretaries general Aman Ullah Aman, M Shahjahan and chairperson’s adviser Dr ZM Jahid Hossain in a case filed under the Explosive Substances Act.An HC single-judge bench of Justice Nizamul Huq passed the order after the Chief Justice sent the matter to him following split orders by another division bench.
The counsel of the three leaders said there is no legal bar to walk to freedom from jails as they are not charged with any other cases.
On April 17, the HC bench comprising Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui and Sheikh Zakir Hossain delivered dissenting orders against six opposition alliance leaders, including the three, in the case filed with Paltan Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act.
The other leaders are opposition chief whip Zainul Abedin Farroque, BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party president Shafiul Alam Pradhan.
The bench granted bail for six months to Jagpa chief Shafiul Alam Pradhan in the case.
However, presiding judge of the bench Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui granted six months’ bail to Aman, Rizvi and Farroque in the case while companion judge Justice Sheikh Zakir Hossain issued a rule upon the government to explain as to why they should not be granted regular bail.
The bench also adjourned hearing on the bail petition of Dr Zahid and Shajahan for 10 days upon their lawyer’s appeal.
The court granted bail to all the opposition alliance leaders in another case filed with Paltan Police Station under the Speedy Trial Act.
Meanwhile, opposition chief whip Zainul Farroque was released from jail on May 3 as he secured bail from another HC single-judge bench while Jagpa chief Shafiul Alam Pradhan released on April 19. The four other leaders are still behind the bars.
On March 11, police in a raid on BNP’s Nayapaltan central office arrested over 150 of its leaders and workers, including acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The law enforcers launched the drive in the BNP office after 8-10 crude bombs went off near the BNP central office while Fakhrul was addressing a rally.
The Jagpa chief was arrested while he was returning from the Gulshan office of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia after an 18-party alliance meeting on the night of March 11.
Three of the arrested leaders — Mirza Fakhrul, Sadek Hossain Khoka and Altaf Hossain Chowdhury — were released the following day.
Later, a charge-sheet was submitted against 148 of them dropping the names of six BNP men in a case filed with Paltan Police Station under the Speedy Trial Act. (Source: UNB)
