BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been granted bail in nine cases filed over political violence during the October 28 rally of the party in the capital.
Judge of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court Sultan Sohag Uddin passed the bail order on Wednesday after hearing separate bail petitions filed by Mirza Fakhrul in the cases.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mirza Fakhrul was shown-arrested in the nine cases -- six filed with Paltan Model Police Station and three others with Ramna Model Police Station.
The court fixed Wednesday for hearing the bail petitions in the cases.
Lawyers Md Asaduzzaman, Iqbal Hossain and Zainul Abedin Mesbah appeared in the hearing for Mirza Fakhrul while Additional Public Prosecutor Taposh Kumar Paul stood for the state.
On December 18, the High Court (HC) directed the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka to accept, hear and dispose of the bail petitions in the cases after a writ petition was filed challenging the legality of a magistrate court's refusal to accept the petitions.
Later on December 21, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the High Court order in the nine cases.
Then on December 31, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury fixed January 09 for hearing Fakhrul's bail petitions in the cases.
The cases were filed on charges of killing a police constable, illegal gathering on the street, vandalising vehicles, rioting, snatching a police weapon, damaging properties, assaulting policemen and preventing them from discharging their duties.
On October 29, Mirza Fakhrul was arrested in connection with the case filed with Ramna Police Station over the attack on the residence of Chief Justice (CJ) Obaidul Hassan during a clash with police on October 28 last year.
Meanwhile, an HC bench on Wednesday rejected Fakhrul's bail petition in a case filed over the attack on the CJ residence on October 28 last year. The HC bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Shahed Nuruddin discharged a rule regarding granting bail to Fakhrul in the case.
The HC verdict means Fakhrul cannot get released from jail, said Deputy Attorney General BM Rafael, who stood for the state.
On the other hand, Fakhrul's lawyer Zainul Abedin said they would take legal steps after receiving instruction from his client.
On December 7, the HC bench refused to grant him bail and issued a rule asking the state to explain in seven days as to why Fakhrul should not be granted bail in the case.
The state was asked to comply with the rule within one week.
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