HC grants bail to Emi

The High Court yesterday granted ad interim bail to Sheikh Tasnim Afroz Emi, former vice-president of Shamsunnahar Hall Union at Dhaka University, in an anti-terrorism case filed over playing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech on a loudspeaker.

The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why Emi should not be granted permanent bail in the case.

The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher issued the rule and passed the order following a petition filed by Emi seeking bail.

There is no legal bar to Emi’s release following the High Court order, her lawyer, Muhammad Noman Hossain, told The Daily Star.

He said Emi is currently in Kashimpur women’s jail. “We will submit the bail bond to the concerned lower court after receiving the High Court order. She may be released on Sunday or Monday once the necessary formalities are completed,” he added.

On March 7, around 9:30pm, Emi and several others played the speech in front of Shahbagh Police Station.

While the speech was being played over a microphone mounted on a rickshaw, a group of DU students -- including Ducsu leaders AB Zubayer and Mosaddek Ali Ibn Mohammad, as well as Jatiya Chhatra Shakti Convener Tahmid Al Modassir -- reportedly obstructed the programme.

At one stage, AB Zubayer and Mosaddek Ali handed over two persons, including Emi, to Shahbagh Police Station.

The following day, the detainees were shown arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station and were sent to jail. Police filed the case as the complainant.