13 BNP-aligned lawyers get anticipatory bail in a case over poll violence

The premises of the top court plunged into chaos during the polls last week

The High Court has granted anticipatory bail to 13 pro-BNP lawyers, including AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, in a case over violence during the election to the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Justice Md Salim and Justice Md Bazlur Rahman granted the eight-week bail after hearing their petition on Monday.

Md Moniruzzaman, the convener of the ruling party-backed subcommittee on the election, filed the case with Shahbagh police against more than 100 lawyers, charging them with “stealing ballots and causing uproar” during the polls on Mar 15.

Rabiul Islam, an administrative official of the Supreme Court, lodged a separate case on similar charges, while Shahbagh police filed another on charges of obstructing police work.

Lawyers AJ Mohammad Ali, Advocate Zainul Abedin and Barrister Kayser Kamal spoke for the BNP lawyers in court.

The polls were held on Mar 15-16 amid violence on the premises of the top court. Pro-BNP lawyers boycotted the polls on the first day after raising allegations of ballot theft against their Awami League-backed counterparts.

Awami League-backed Momtazuddin Fakir and Abdun Nur Dulal retained their respective positions as president and secretary against their challengers -- AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Ruhul Quddus Kazal, while candidates, also backed by the Awami League, won all other positions.