Top court grants bail to BNP leader Mir Nasir in pandemic

The top court has granted bail to BNP leader Mir Md Nasir Uddin, who was in prison on corruption charges, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A four-member virtual bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain issued the order on Sunday.

“The bail is being granted in consideration of the coronavirus situation,” Justice Hossain said.

Lawyer Ruhul Quddus argued for former Chittagong BNP president Nasir, while lawyer Md Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission in court.

During the emergency rule in 2007, Nasir was sentenced to 12 years in jail for having illegal assets and concealing wealth information in a case started by the ACC. His son Mir Helal was jailed for three years for abetting him.

The High Court acquitted the two in 2010. Four years later, the Appellate Division overturned the acquittals and ordered the High Court to rehear the case.

After the rehearing, the High Court in November 2019 restored the trial court’s sentencing against the two. The High Court published the full verdict in January 2020 ordering Nasir and Helal to surrender. 

In October 2020, a virtual Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain denied the duo permission to challenge the latest High Court verdict without surrendering in court.

They later turned themselves in court and sought bail and permission to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court. The chamber judge on Nov 1, 2020 granted Helal bail until May 32, 2021.

On Nov 16 last year, the Appellate Division adjourned the hearing of Nasir’s bail petition until Dec 14.