HC seeks explanation from govt in a week

The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the government to explain in a week why Badal Faraji should not be produced before the court to satisfy that he was not detained illegally.

The HC bench of Justice FRM NazmulAhasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Ain o Salish Kendra, Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar told The Daily Star.

The rights group challenged the legality of Badal Faraji's detention.

The petition was filed following a report published on the Bangla daily Prothom Alo on Wednesday. According to the report, Badal was wrongly arrested during a visit to India 11 years ago.

He did not know English. So, he was unable to communicate that it was a mistake.

An Indian court sentenced him to life term imprisonment instead of one Badal Singh, who was an accused in a murder case.

At Delhi's Tihar jail, Badal Faraji obtained SSC, HSC and graduate degrees. His name came into light when Indian media published reports that he was sentenced wrongly.

Based on the media reports, India sent him back to Bangladesh last year under the agreement of repatriation on sentenced prisoners between the two countries.

Badal was kept in Dhaka's Keraniganj jail.

Advocate M Asaduzzaman appeared for the petitioner.