29 quota reform activists get bail

Dhaka courts yesterday granted bail to 41 students arrested in several cases over vandalism, attack on police and obstructing law enforcers from discharging duties during the quota reform and road safety movements.

The orders came a day after 42 other students -- arrested over the road safety protest on similar charges -- secured bail.

With the bail orders, all the efforts of their families to get them out of jail have paid off. It followed an advice from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Law Minister Anisul Huq.  

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Anisul said the prime minister had asked him to take the issue of the students' bail into consideration ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.

“If the students are eligible to secure bail, the prosecution should not oppose their bail prayers,” he quoted the PM as saying.

"Eid is a family celebration. So we took the issue into consideration seriously. When the bail prayers were moved, the prosecution did not oppose them. They [the students] got bail as per the law. Sheikh Hasina's government is a peoples' government," he said.

Yesterday, a Dhaka court granted bail to eight leaders of the quota reform movement in connection with three cases filed with Shahbagh Police Station over vandalism, assaulting and preventing police from discharging their duties.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sarafuzzaman Ansari passed the order around 4:00pm after the lawyers of the students submitted separate petitions seeking their bail.

The eight leaders -- Muhammad Rashed Khan, Tariqul Islam, Faruk Hasan, Shakhawat Hossain Ratul, Mashiur Rahman, Jashim Uddin Akash, Atiqur Rahman and APM Sohel -- had been behind bars since July 1 and onwards.

Earlier yesterday, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman Hero granted bail to 21 quota reformists, who had been arrested on different dates in connection with four similar cases filed with the same police station.

The other 12 students secured bail from another Dhaka court in cases filed over vandalism and attacks on policemen during the road safety movement.

Additionally, 12 private university students walked out of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj yesterday. They were greeted by their family members and friends near the jail gate.

So far, 21 students have been released on bail.

More than 100 people, mostly students of private universities and colleges, were rounded up in 53 cases in the capital alone over vandalism and attacks on law enforcers since the student protest for road safety began on July 29, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Earlier in February, students of different public universities and jobseekers, under the banner of "Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad", initiated the quota reform movement demanding a reform to the quota system in government jobs.

Amid a countrywide agitation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 announced that all quotas in civil service would be abolished.

But as no gazette notification was issued, the protesters began boycotting classes and examinations in all universities and colleges from May 14.

The movement lost momentum following attacks on demonstrators allegedly by Chhatra League activists and arrests of some of the quota reform leaders.

During yesterday's proceedings, barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, on behalf of eight quota activists, told the court that there was no specific allegation against his clients.  

He then sought their bail. Later, the court granted the prayer.

Advocate Prashanta Kumar Karmakar, who appeared on behalf of the 21 quota activists, filed a special petition with the chief metropolitan magistrate's court seeking their bail.

He told the court that the accused were not involved in any vandalism and the quota reform movement was a rational protest.

The CMM court granted them bail.

Relatives of the students, who had been waiting in the corridor of the court building since morning, heard the news from journalists.

Happiness was writ large on their faces.

"I'm very happy,” said Saleha Begum, mother of quota reform leader Muhammad Rashed Khan, one of those who secured bail from the court. 

Shedding tears, Jomira Begum, mother of another student APM Sohel, expressed gratitude to the court for the bail of her son.

HAPPY SCENES NEAR THE JAIL GATE

Soon after walking out of the jail around 8:00am, North South University student Azizul Karim called his mother from inside a visitor's room near the main gate of the jail.

"I'm out, ma," he said while talking over a mobile phone. 

While hanging up, he looked impatient. He kept pacing the room while waiting for his family members to show up.

"I came to know from newspapers that my mother became extremely anxious after she heard about my detention. I can't wait to see her," said Azizul, whose mother Sufia Aktar lives in Comilla.

An 11th-semester BBA student, Azizul was picked up near the main gate of Bashundhara Residential Area on August 6 while he was on his way to his flat from his campus. "I was not even involved with the agitation," he told this newspaper.

Around 9:50am yesterday, his father Abdul Karim arrived at the jail gate.

Azizul was among the 12 private university students who walked out of the jail yesterday. On Sunday, nine other students were released.

They came out of jail amid calls for their release from different rights groups, socio-cultural and political organisations, and university teachers.

Nur Mohammad, a student of South East University, was among those who walked out of the jail yesterday. Upon his release, he went straight to the open arms of his mother who was waiting along with his friends.

He said his bail brought him relief but he could never forget the humiliation he endured at the hands of law enforcers.

He said they were kept in a police lock-up. "More than a dozen students like me stayed in a single room. We ate, slept and answered the call of nature in that room,” he said.

He, however, thanked the prime minister and her government for taking steps for his release.

NAWSHABA, LUMA DENIED BAIL

A Dhaka court yesterday rejected a bail petition of actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed and sent her to jail in a case filed under the controversial ICT Act for allegedly spreading rumours on social media during the student movement for safe roads.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mahmuda Akhtar passed the order after her lawyer AH Imrul Qausar filed the bail petition.

Nawshaba was arrested from Uttara on August 4.

Another Dhaka court yesterday rejected a bail petition of quota reform leader Lutfun Nahar Luma and sent her to jail in a case filed for “spreading rumours on social media and instigating violence” during the student movement for safe roads.

Noted photographer Shahidul Alam, who was recently been denied bail in a similar case, is now in jail.

SCHOOL TEACHER RELEASED

Nusrat Jahan Sonia, a school teacher arrested in Patuakhali on August 4 on charge of spreading rumour on Facebook about the road safety protest, walked out of jail yesterday after the High Court granted her bail, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said in a press release.

The HC granted ad-interim bail to Sonia, a pregnant woman, on Sunday in connection with the case.

The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why she should not be granted regular bail in the case.  

The bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Sonia, Deputy Attorney General Bishwojit Roy told The Daily Star.

BLAST, a rights organisation, provided legal assistance to Sonia.

Barrister Sara Hossain appeared for her.

Meanwhile, Faria Mahjabin, owner of Nerdy Bean Coffee Haus in Dhanmondi, yesterday “confessed” to a magistrate that she had been involved in spreading rumours and sharing provocative posts on social media over the student protest.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Delwar Hossain recorded her confessional statement for over two hours after Sub-Inspector Majedul Islam of Hazaribagh Police Station produced her before him, said court sources.

Later, Faria was sent to jail.

Meanwhile, in a statement yesterday, prominent jurist and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain said he was relieved as the students got bail.