Abrar’s Death: Prothom Alo editor gets bail

A Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman in a case filed over the death of college student Naimul Abrar Rahat.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (in-charge) Md Kaisarul Islam passed the order upon a bond of Tk 2,000 with two guarantors after Matiur surrendered before the court and sought bail. The court fixed February 24 for the next hearing.

The High Court on January 20 granted him bail for a period of four weeks and directed him to appear before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka after expiration of the period.

While granting the anticipatory bail to Matiur, the HC directed law enforcers not to harass or arrest him or any of the five other accused until police report was filed or charges were framed in the case over the death of Abrar, who was a student of Dhaka Residential Model College.

As per the HC direction, Matiur surrendered before the court yesterday and sought bail, his lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji told the court.

During yesterday's hearing, Samaji cited a higher court ruling which gave power to the judges and magistrates to grant bail to any person in cases filed under bailable sections.

The section under which the case was filed against Matiur and others was bailable.

Abrar, a ninth-grader, was electrocuted during the anniversary celebration of a magazine of Prothom Alo on November 1 last year.

His father, Mojibur, filed the case with the Fourth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka on November 6.

On January 16, a Dhaka court issued arrest warrants for Matiur and nine others.

The court passed the order after Abdul Alim, an inspector of Mohammadpur Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted a probe report to it.

The charges against the accused are under section 304(A) of Bangladesh Penal Code. The section deals with deaths caused by "rash or negligent act".