The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to 714 BNP leaders and activists of Comilla, Netrokana, Mymensingh and Narayanganj districts in 22 criminal cases.

The cases were filed with different police stations in the districts on February 3, 7, 8 and 9 over the incidents centering the verdict delivery by a Dhaka court in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on February 8. After hearing 59 bail petitions, an HC bench granted anticipatory bail to 639 BNP leaders and activists of Comilla, Netrokona and Mymensingh for six weeks in 19 cases. Meanwhile, another HC bench granted similar bail to 75 BNP men of Sonargaon in Narayanganj till April 10 in three cases .