Mozammel secures bail over extortion case but not released

Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, a leader of a passenger welfare platform, has secured bail in a case that accuses him of extortion.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mazharul Islam passed the bail order on Tuesday, his lawyer Zayedur Rahman Zahid said.

But Mozammel cannot walk out of jail as police have appealed to court for permission to show him arrested in another case.

On Sep 5, Mozammel, general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, was arrested following the association’s publication on annual statistics on road accidents and the accidents that occurred during the Eid.

Police arrested him at Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj soon after a case filed by a man named ‘Dulal’ at the Mirpur Police Station.

Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury

In the case statement, he alleged that he had paid Mozammel Tk 10,000 in extortion money.

After the arrest of Mozammel, police sought a five-day remand but the court sent him to jail.

On Monday, police filed a petition with Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Court to show Mozammel arrested in a case started under Explosive Substance Act at their Kafrul station.

Sub-Inspector Md Raihan, investigation officer of the case, also sought a 10-day remand for the arrestee.

The court will hear their plea on Sep 13.

At a media briefing on Monday, Shamsuddin Chowdhury, a member of the passenger welfare’s association’s executive committee, said Jatri Kalyan Samity under the leadership of Mozammel is reviving the movement to ensure passengers’ rights and all have morally supported the movement.

Mozammel’s wife Rizu Akhter Chowdhury said her husband was innocent and requested the prime minister to ensure his release.