72 get anticipatory bail

The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to another 72 Awami League leaders and activists from Basurhat area under Companiganj upazila of Noakhali for four weeks in two separate violence and arson cases.

The HC also ordered the accused ruling party men to surrender to the trial court concerned in four weeks in connection with the cases.

The bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman came up with the orders following eight separate petitions filed by the accused seeking bail in the cases filed against them.

Earlier in the day, the accused petitioners appeared before the HC bench for anticipatory bail in the cases. 

Companiganj's former upazila chairman Mizanur Rahman Badal and Sub-Inspector of police Mahfuzur Rahman filed the two cases with Basurhat police station on February 19 and 22 respectively, following a clash between two groups of local AL men over a political dispute on February 19, said SS Arefin Junnun, petitioners' lawyer.

He said the HC granted them bail as there is no specific allegation against them and no casualty took place in the incident.    

Lawyer Farhad Ahmed appeared for the accused AL leaders and activists during hearing of the bail petitions.

Earlier on March 18, the same HC bench had granted anticipatory bail to 107 local AL men of the same area in four similar cases. 

During hearing their bail petitions on that day, the HC bench expressed dissatisfaction at the recent incidents of violence between two groups of ruling AL men at Basurhat area, questioning what is happening in the area to lead to such incidents.

Mentionable, Abdul Quader Mirza, younger brother of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, has stirred up a debate in the country's political arena with some of his remarks at Noakhali's Companiganj upazila.