Hindustan Surkhiyan Desk: The High Court today granted anticipatory bail to BNP leader Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas for eight weeks in three arson and vandalism cases.
The cases were filed with Paltan Police Station for setting fire to police vehicles, preventing police from discharging duties and vandalising vehicles during a clash between the BNP men and police near the BNP central office in Nayapaltan on November 14.
Today, the HC also asked Mirza Abbas, a member of BNP standing committee, and Afroza Abbas, also the president of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, to surrender to the lower court concerned after eight weeks in connection with the cases.
The bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Zafar Ahmed came up with the orders after hearing three separate petitions filed by Mirza Abbas and Afroza Abbas seeking bail in the cases.
The accused BNP leaders appeared before the HC bench today for bail in the cases.
Additional Attorney General Momtaz Uddin Fakir told The Daily Star that the Attorney General’s Office is yet to decide whether any appeal will be moved before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the HC orders of bail.
Advocate Zainul Abedin, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman appeared for the accused petitioners.
WHAT HAPPENED AT NAYAPALTAN ON NOV 14?
During the third day of BNP’s nomination form sale at its Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka, clashes broke out between police and BNP supporters and activists.
While several people including policemen were hurt, two police vehicles were set on fire at the spot and many other vehicles vandalised.
BNP blamed police for an unprovoked attack and urged its supporters to calm down and maintain a peaceful atmosphere.
Right after the incident, both Awami League and BNP placed counter allegations for spoiling a peaceful atmosphere that prevailed in the country ahead of the polls.
However, police sued a total of 488 people, including senior BNP leaders Mirza Abbas and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in three different cases filed over the incident.
Among the accused, at least 72 people were arrested and produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka.
The clash erupted a day after the EC sent a letter to the police urging proper enforcement of the code of conduct of polls ahead of the 11th parliamentary election, scheduled for December 30.
After the incident, EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said the EC would examine the incident in Nayapaltan.
