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Published : 06 Nov 2025, 04:23 PM
The High Court has granted bail to expelled Awami League leader and former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, and journalist Monjurul Alam Panna, both arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The High Court bench of Justice ASM Abdul Mobin and Justice Md Sagir Hossain passed the order along with a rule on Thursday after hearing separate bail petitions from the two.
Senior lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Fazlur Rahman, and M Abdullah Al Harun Bhuiyan appeared for Latif, while Sara Hossain, Ramzan Ali Sikder, and Priya Ahsan Chowdhury represented Panna.
Deputy Attorney General Sultana Akhter Ruby represented the state.
Following the hearing, lawyer ZI Khan Panna said: “The court has granted bail to freedom fighter Latif Siddique and Monjurul Alam Panna. The written order will be issued on Sunday.”
Expressing gratitude to journalists, lawyer Panna said: “A tough battle lies ahead — between the spirit of the Liberation War and anti-Liberation forces. We will win this fight because this country belongs to those who fought for its independence. We will not allow anyone to speak against the Liberation War, independence, or the 1972 Constitution.”
In the same briefing, Kader Siddique, brother of Latif Siddique, said: “The people of this country have faith in the judiciary. My brother’s bail proves that. I thank the judiciary.”
On Aug 28, police detained Latif, who was injured in a mob attack, and journalist Panna, along with 16 others, during a discussion on the Liberation War and the Constitution at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
The following day, they were shown arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station and sent to jail.
According to the case dossier, a platform called Mancha 71 was formed on Aug 5 to “resist conspiracies to erase and distort the history of the Liberation War”.
The group organised a discussion at DRU on Aug 28, where a group allegedly stormed into the venue, shouted slogans, tore banners, and confined participants.
Police later arrived and detained 16 people.
Sub-Inspector Amirul Islam of Shahbagh Police Station filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act the following day.
