BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury walked out of Keraniganj jail yesterday after languishing behind bar over three months.

The BNP leaders were released a day after they secured bail in a case filed over the vandalism of the chief justice's residence when police and BNP activists clashed during the party's grand rally on October 28 last year.

They  were arrested before the January 7 national election.

Hundreds of party activists showered flower petals to welcome them and chanted slogans as they came out of the prison around 3:45pm.

After being released from jail, Fakhrul told reporters, "Our peaceful movement will continue. The people of Bangladesh are fighting for the right to vote, for restoration of democracy. We will continue our movement until the people are victorious."

"BNP leaders and activists have no reason to lose heart. The people of Bangladesh will be victorious through the ongoing movement.

"BNP's movement has not suffered any loss. The movement to restore voting rights will continue. It is the government that has suffered a loss by holding the one-sided election on January 7. The BNP has not suffered any loss," he said.

Speaking to journalists, Khasru said the people supported our movement. "So, we will continue our movement with them until democracy is successfully restored."

He criticised the Awami League government for "seizing power" through an election that "deprived people of rights".

"Those who seized power, it [power] must be taken away from them and given back to the people," Khasru said, adding that they were kept in jail unfairly.

"They [Awami League] have usurped power by depriving people of their rights and holding elections by force. The people of the country have rejected them. They have been morally defeated in the election."

Fakhrul was denied bail four times by the High Court and lower courts in the case filed over the vandalism of the chief justice's residence. Khasru had also been rejected bail in the same case.

The case was lodged with Ramna Model Police Station on October 29 last year after the police-BNP clash.

Over the incident, 11 violence cases were filed against Fakhrul, while Khasru was made accused in 10 cases.

Earlier, Fakhrul was granted bail in 10 cases and Khasru in nine cases.

Khasru was arrested on 2 November, four days after detaining of Fakhrul.