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Published : 23 May 2026, 04:56 PM
A Dhaka court has ordered former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque to be shown arrested in a murder case linked to violence during the July movement in Jatrabari, blocking his release from prison.
Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque issued the order on Saturday following a petition by the investigating officer.
The court order stalled the former chief justice's release from prison, even though he secured bail in multiple other cases.
His defence lawyer Monayem Nabi Shahin confirmed that Khairul must now secure bail in this new case to walk free.
Sub-Inspector Md Ibrahim Khalil of Jatrabari Police Station, the investigating officer, had filed the petition on May 16, citing evidence linking the suspect to the crime.
He said showing Khairul arrested was essential for a fair investigation.
Khairul was brought to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court lockup from prison on Saturday morning.
He was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair wearing a helmet around 11:15am.
The former chief justice appeared physically weak during the hearing.
After his helmet was removed, lawyers were seen using case files to fan him due to the heat, and a stand fan was brought to his booth by 11:47am.
He was sent back to the lockup at 11:50am before being brought up again in his wheelchair after 3pm for the formal hearing.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued for the arrest petition, claiming that Khairul had scrapped the caretaker government system through a judicial ruling and was subsequently "rewarded" with the chairmanship of the Law Commission by the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The prosecutor added that investigators found specific links tying the former chief justice to the July violence.
The defence team, including Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary and advocates Mostafizur Rahman and Monayem Nabi Shahin, opposed the petition.
Mostafizur argued that Khairul was not named in the initial first information report (FIR).
He also pointed out a logistical impossibility: the former chief justice had already been shown arrested in an Adabor Police Station murder case for an incident occurring at 11am on the same day, arguing that a person cannot be present in two different locations simultaneously.
The magistrate ordered Khairul to be sent back to jail under the new charges.
According to the case files, 20-year-old Khobaib, identified with a single name, participated in the Anti-discrimination Student Movement on Aug 5, 2024.
Armed members of the Awami League, Jubo League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, and law-enforcing agencies launched an attack on peaceful demonstrators gathered under the Jatrabari footbridge around 10am.
Khobaib was shot during the crackdown and died on the spot.
On Nov 16, 2024, the victim's brother Jobayer Ahmed filed a murder case naming 80 individuals, including ousted Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana.
On May 20, the Chamber Court upheld the High Court's bail granted to Khairul in two separate murder cases filed at Jatrabari and Adabor police stations.
The Appellate Division earlier upheld bails in five other cases filed against the former chief justice over the July movement violence.
