SC stays HC order not to arrest BNP's Fazlur

The Supreme Court yesterday stayed till November 2 a High Court order that asked the government not to harass or arrest Fazlur Rahman, a BNP leader of Kishoreganj, in a sedition case.

Fazlur, the district unit president of BNP, was sued for making derogatory remarks on President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 19 this year while addressing an election rally at the district's Itna. A Kishoreganj court on August 31 issued an arrest warrant against Fazlur in the case.

The HC on October 27 ordered the government not harass or arrest Fazlur until he surrenders to the trial court after coming back to the country from the USA.

Yesterday, chamber judge of the SC, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the stay order after hearing a government petition seeking a stay on the HC order.

The judge also fixed November 2 for hearing the same petition before the full bench of the Appellate Division of the SC.