BNP leader Mirza Abbas, wife get anticipatory bail in Naya Paltan cases

BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas and his wife, Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal chief Afroza Abbas, have received anticipatory bail from the High Court in three cases filed over the Naya Paltan clashes.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Zafar Ahmed granted bail to the BNP leaders for eight weeks after they petitioned the High Court on Sunday.

Lawyers Zainul Abedin, M Mahbub Uddin Khokan and AKM Ehsanur Rahman represented the couple during the hearing. The state was represented by Additional Attorney General Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir. 

“Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court will settle the issue when they seek next petitions,” lawyer Ehsanur Rahman told bdnews24.com.

To secure the bail, Abbas and Afroza came to the court early on Sunday and stayed at the Supreme Court Bar Association’s hall. Later, Ehsanur took the bail pleas to the court.

Violence broke out in front of the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan between police and the party’s supporters on Wednesday during the sale of nomination forms ahead of the Dec 30 election. Two police cars were set ablaze and many vehicles were vandalised.

Several helmet-wearing individuals were seen on the spot vandalising and torching vehicles. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader blamed BNP leader Mirza Abbas for the clashes.

Police have filed three cases over the incident against BNP leaders, including Abbas and Afroza.

The court granted police a five-day remand to question detained BNP leader Nipun Roy Chowdhury in one case.

About 200 people were accused in the cases, include BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Vice-Chairman Akhtaruzzaman, its Jatrabari unit chief Nabiullah Nabi and Kafil Uddin, a member of the BNP chief’s Advisory Council.