Hearing on bail petitions adjourned

The High Court (HC) yesterday adjourned the hearing on 16 bail petitions of 12 persons, including politicians, who were convicted of various charges and sentenced to jail in absentia.
Former minister and Jatiya Party leader Anwar Hossain Manju, former BNP lawmaker Nadim Mostafa, former Awami League lawmakers Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Haji Md Salim, Mokbul Hossain and Md Mohiudddin, and former BNP minister M Saifur Rahman's son Safiur Rahman Babu are among the petitioners.
A division bench of the HC on February 23 delivered split verdicts on their petitions. The petitions were sent to the chief justice for the final decision.
Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin last month constituted a special bench with justice Imman Ali to dispose of the petitions.
The special bench yesterday issued the adjournment order following a prayer moved by the lawyers for the petitioners.
The lawyers prayed to the court to adjourn hearing of the petitions, saying that a case of similar nature regarding the bail of former BNP state minister Shahjahan Omar was pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) for hearing. The apex court will hear the case on Thursday (today).
They also argued that the bail petitions filed by their clients should be heard after the SC passes the order on the petition related to the bail of Shahjahan Omar.
Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder appeared for the petitioners.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) M Enayetur Rahim, who appeared for the government, yesterday prayed to the court to hold the hearing of the petitions without any delay, since the issue is very important.
On January 14, an HC bench of Justice Mozammel Hossain and Justice Afzal Hossain Ahmed upon a petition granted three months' bail to Shahjahan Omar in connection with a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC then filed an appeal with the SC against the HC order.