Akhtar Hamid freed on bail
Former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiki was yesterday released on bail from Naogaon jail in connection with a sedition case.
The Court of District and Sessions Judge M Habibur Rahman granted him bail in the sedition case early in the day.
A crowd of party-men and relatives at the jail gate greeted BNP bigwig Hamid with flowers when he was released around 5:00pm.
“Instead of Mohadevpur, we will take him [Hamid] to Dhaka after a brief exchange of pleasantries with the party leaders and lawyers,” said Hamid's daughter Faria Tajin Siddiki.
Talking to The Daily Star over phone Faria, also a lawyer, termed the sedition case and other accusations against Hamid 'farcical', which are intended to harass him, a leader of the opposition.
Hamid's lawyers submitted his bail petition on 1 June and the court deferred the date over various reasons including public prosecutor's illness.
“After this bail order, there are no legal means to keep Akhter Hamid in prison,” said defence lawyer AZM Rafiqul Alam.
He added Akhtar also got bails in all other three cases -- two on charge of cheating and one of abduction.
Under Special Powers Act (SPA) Naogaon police arrested Hamid at his house in Mohadevpur upazila on March 22 on charge of cheating and he was put into two-months' detention.
“The detention against him under the SPA was termed illegal by the high court”, said Hamid's lawyer.
On instructions of the home ministry, Ilyas Fakir, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mohadevpur Police Station filed the sedition case against Hamid 46 days after his arrest.
Fakir alleged that Hamid predicted the fall of Awami League-led government following the BDR mutiny. The allegation added that Hamid also threatened Fakir of serious consequences.
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