Former chief justice Khairul Haque released on bail after over a year in jail

After spending a year and 25 days in jail, former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque has been released on bail granted by the Supreme Court.

He was released from Keraniganj Special Jail at 4:15pm today, his lawyers Md Motaher Hossain Sazu and Monaim Nobi Shahin told The Daily Star.

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Md Tayef Uddin Mia, senior superintendent of the jail, also confirmed the development.

Khairul Haque, however, cannot leave the country without permission from the court concerned as per a directive issued by the Appellate Division, lawyer Motaher said.

Khairul Haque, 82, was arrested from his Dhanmondi home on July 24 last year by the Detective Branch (DB) and subsequently shown arrested in nine cases filed over incidents of murders and attempted murders during the July Uprising in 2024.

On August 17, the Appellate Division’s chamber judge upheld a High Court order that on August 10 granted ad-interim bail to Khairul in the ninth case filed on charge of attempted murder with Banani Police Station, clearing the way for his release from jail.

On August 9, the Appellate Division upheld an HC order directing the authorities not to show him arrested without a specific case naming him as an accused.

A four-member bench led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury also directed that Khairul cannot leave the country without permission from the courts concerned after his release from jail.

The apex court passed the order while disposing of a petition filed by the home ministry seeking a stay on the HC directive.

On July 2, the Appellate Division chamber court upheld his bail in a murder case filed with Jatrabari Police Station over the death of Khowaib during the anti-discrimination student protests on August 5, 2024.

On May 12, the High Court granted him six months’ ad-interim bail in two murder cases. The state challenged the bail orders before the Appellate Division.

On April 28, the Appellate Division upheld his bail in five other cases.