On April 22, the High Court, after inviting a legal debate on the revocation of right to bail, ruled that it has the jurisdiction to dispose of petitions seeking bail by any person facing criminal case under the emergency rules.

The amended EPR had revoked the right to bail of those being herded up during the current countrywide operation against crime and corruption.

Exercising the power yesterday, a High Court division bench comprising Justice MA Matin and Justice MA Hye issued a couple of rules upon the government to explain why the two petitioners "should not be granted bail."

The court rules came on separate applications filed by Sabera Aman, wife of former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman, and industrialist and Awami League leader Salman F Rahman.

The rule in Sabera's case is returnable in a week while Salman's in two weeks.

Sabera, facing a corruption case, was denied bail and sent to jail on May 9 when she appeared in the special graft court at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex.

Sabera, along with her detained husband, has been charged with non-submission of statement of their wealth--which they acquired beyond their known sources of income-- within the stipulated timeframe set by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Salman is facing a corruption case filed with New Market police station in April.