Satkhira Attack Accused
One HC bench denies bail, another grants it
A High Court bench has granted bail to 23 accused in a case filed for attacking some Hindu people and damaging their property in Satkhira last month, although another bench earlier refused to hear their bail petitions “considering the case as sensitive”.
Adv Abdul Matin Khasru, a lawyer of the 23 petitioners, said as there were no specific allegations against his clients, the HC bench of Justice Siddiqur Rahman Miah and Justice AKM Shahidul Huq granted them anticipatory bail for four months on May 3.
The previous day the bench rejected a bail prayer of Nazrul Gazi, another accused of the same case.
On April 1, some Muslims allegedly attacked the houses of Hindus in Kaliganj upazila, saying that they had disrespected Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in a play. Several houses were vandalised, looted and set afire during the attack, says the case statement.
A sub-inspector of Kaliganj Police Station filed the case against 28 people on April 5.
Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Zahid Sarwar Kazal told The Daily Star that he had opposed the bail petitions, which were also rejected by the HC bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan a few days ago.
The DAG said he also prayed to withdraw the bail order on May 3.
He said Justice Siddiqur's bench asked him to call Abdul Matin Khasru and Mostafa Golam Kibria, two lawyers of the 23 accused, to appear before it by 4:00pm on May 3 to give an explanation. But they did not appear, and the bench has not withdrawn the bail order, he added.
The DAG said he had given his opinion to the attorney general to move an appeal before the Appellate Division for cancelling the bail order of the 23 accused.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that he had already taken steps to move an appeal before the Appellate Division to stay the HC bail order.
Meanwhile another HC bench in a suomoto order on April 23 directed the law secretary to form a committee to conduct an enquiry into the Kaliganj incident and submit the report before the bench by May 29.
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