Apart from granting the ad interim bail, the court also issued a rule on the government to show cause within eight weeks as to why the petitioner should not be granted regular bail in the case.

The bail order prompted the government to file a criminal miscellaneous petition in the Appellate Division yesterday against the order.

The laundering case is the fourth to have been filed against Bidisha, who on rejection of her bail petition in a lower court, filed the petition with the higher court on June 21.

The court heard the bail petition on June 22 and directed the attorney general's office to present relevant information and documents regarding the money laundering before it.

Additional Attorney General Abdur Rezzak Khan told the court during yesterday's hearing that Bidisha deposited Tk 26,73,71, 746 in seven accounts of five foreign and one local banks.

He submitted that Bidisha deposited £1,610,353 equivalent to Tk 19,32,42,360 in account no 6391168 of Council Tax Bank in London, $ 8,000 worth Tk 4,80,000 in account no DDOCB284859M of HSBC Bank in New York, £

4,99,913.73 amounting to Tk 5,99,89,560 in account no 98363867 of Natwest Diamond Bank in UK, £51,000 worth Tk 15,30,000 in account no 91372823 of HSBC Bank in London, Tk 28,23, 406.30 in account no 003-005402-001 of HSBC Bank in Gulshan, $5,107.67 equalling Tk 3,06,420 in account no 003-005402-151 of the same bank and Singapore $3,00,000 worth Tk 90,000,00 in account no 553-5-026446 of OSBC Bank in Singapore.

Khan noted that Bidisha faces serious allegations of laundering money abroad and the state gets into trouble if money is laundered.

The court, however, observed that having money in different bank accounts does not mean money is laundered. It added that the government has extended the opportunity for whitening black money for another year and so, if Bidisha's money is black, she may still avail herself of this opportunity.

Bidisha had earlier been granted ad interim bail in three cases including one on charges of cheating.

The money laundering case was filed against Bidisha with Gulshan Police Station under Section 13 of Money Laundering Act on June 16. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Abdur Rauf Khan on June 18 rejected her bail prayer.

The additional attorney general was assisted by Deputy Attorney General Helaluddin Mollah, while Dr Kamal Hossain, who moved for Bidisha, was assisted by Barrister Sarah Hossain, Barrister Tanjib-Ul Alam, Advocate Zahirul Islam and Advocate Shafiuddin Bhuiyan.