BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul in prison just after being made BNP secretary general

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been denied bail and ordered to prison just after he was announced the new secretary general of BNP.

He surrendered at Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court after the bail granted to him by the High Court for three cases expired on Wednesday.

He was ordered to prison by Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi after being granted bail in one but refused in two other cases filed in January 2015, said Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu.   

He secured bail from the High Court and flew abroad for medical treatment.

Just before his bail was cancelled, Fakhrul had been named BNP secretary general. He spent five years as acting secretary general,

Party leaders and activists had gathered at Naya Paltan to greet the new secretary general but were disappointed to hear that he has been sent to the prison.

Fakhrul had secured interim bail from the High Court in the three cases filed over violence during the BNP-led 20 Party Alliance’s violent movement from January 2015. 

The Supreme Court had said Fakhrul should be given bail until the rule was resolved.  

The rule was resolved in High Court on Nov 24 and Fakhrul was granted three months bail but he sought permission to file an appeal to get a permanent bail. 

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha resolved his plea on Feb 29 and the BNP leader was told to surrender in 15 days.