Dhaka, Jan 21 – The High Court (HC) on Monday granted six months’ bail to two former inspectors general of police (IGPs)—Ashraful Huda and Shahudul Haque—who were sentenced to four years in jail each in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case. The HC bench, comprising Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty, passed the order after hearing their appeals.
There is now no legal bar for the two former IGPs to get released from jail following the HC orders, said advocate Arsadur Rouf, one of the counsel for the two police officials. Lawyers Mohammad Arsadur Rouf and Jamilur Rahman stood for the IGPs.
On January 13, the HC accepted the appeals of 44 convicts, including 18 condemned ones, for hearing in the August 21 grenade attack case.
On October 10, a speedy trial tribunal sentenced 19 people, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu, to death, while 19 others, including BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the
August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) rally in 2004.
Besides, 11 people were awarded different jail terms in the cases.
Among the convicts, Ashraful Huda and Shahudul Haque were sentenced to four years in jail and fined Tk. 50,000 each for harbouring the offenders under two separate sections of the case. – Staff Reporter
