Hafizuddin, Khokon bailed hrs after arrest

A Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to BNP Vice-Chairman Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed and Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, hours after detectives had arrested them on charges of vandalism and police assault during Tuesday’s clash near High Court. 

Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Sayeed passed the order after DB Inspector Delwar Hossain had produced them before the court with a 10-day remand plea. 

Earlier in the day, a DB team arrested the two while they were on their way to the HC for seeking anticipatory bail. 

Meanwhile, the HC yesterday granted anticipatory bail to four BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, for eight weeks in the same case.

The HC, however, ordered them to surrender to the trial court concerned within the time. 

The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan came up with the orders after hearing two separate petitions filed by the BNP leaders seeking bail in the case.

The three other accused are BNP Standing Committee Members Mirza Abbsa and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, and Legal Affairs Secretary Barrister Kayser Kamal.

The four accused appeared before the HC bench during the bail hearing. 

Police filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station after two policemen were injured during a clash with a group of the BNP leaders and activists demonstrating at the Supreme Court premises for the release of their party chief Khaleda Zia.

Several vehicles were vandalised during the clash.

Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate Zainul Abedin, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Advocate Kamrul Islam Sahal and Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared for the accused petitioners, while Deputy Attorney General Harunur Rashid represented the state.   

Besides, Mokbul Hossain, former general secretary of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Hawkers’ Dal (Malibagh-Mouchak unit), was also granted bail hours after the law enforcers had arrested him.