Babar not freed as govt issues fresh detention
The caretaker government yesterday issued a 30-day detention order against detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar who was granted bail by the High Court in all the cases filed against him.
Sources said a committee of the home ministry took the decision yesterday and sent the order to Dhaka Central Jail authorities in the afternoon.
Babar, arrested on May 28 last year, is also sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment in an arms case while other cases are under trial.
Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (DIG-Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique last night confirmed that they received the detention order.
Inspector General of Prisons (IG-Prisons) Brig Gen Zakir Hassan told The Daily Star that they received the letter from the home ministry at about 8:00pm.
When asked, the IG-Prisons said, "Due to sickness, Babar will stay at the prisons cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital until the doctors release him."
Jail sources said the detention order against Babar was issued by a deputy secretary of the home ministry. The detention order used three cases filed with Ramna police and a general diary filed with Gulshan police as references.
Police sources said the GD (no-2377) filed on Saturday night with Gulshan police mentioned that as Babar is a godfather of terrorists and a smuggler, he should be kept inside jail otherwise criminal activities might be increased.
According to jail sources, Babar has been staying at the prison cell of BSMMU hospital for 16 out of almost 17 months of his detention, which is the longest stay of any high-profile corruption suspects at the prison cell during the last two years.
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