SC summons Dhaka tribunal judge

The Supreme Court yesterday summoned the judge of Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal-7 of Dhaka, directing her to appear before it on April 2 for granting bail to an accused in a rape case despite this court's stay order on the bail.

Mosammat Begum Kamrun Nahar, judge of the tribunal, has been asked to appear before the apex court at 9am on the day to explain why she granted bail to Aslam Shikder, a former programme producer of private television channel ATN Bangla in the case.

The apex court also scrapped the bail order of Aslam Shikder and ordered him to surrender to the trial court concerned in two weeks.

A seven-member bench of the SC's Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the state.

Earlier in the day, the SC called for case documents from the tribunal, and found that the court had stayed a High Court order that granted bail to Aslam, Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath told The Daily Star.

Court sources said a case was filed with Hatirjheel Police Station on September 13, 2018 against Aslam Shikder on charge of raping a woman. Police arrested him the same day and he was sent to jail the following day.

Following a petition filed by Aslam, the High Court on June 18, 2018 granted him bail.

The state filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging the HC bail order. After hearing the petition, the Appellate Division stayed the HC order.

But, Judge Kamrun Nahar granted bail to Aslam on March 2.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam placed the issues before the Appellate Division during hearing the state's petition yesterday.