The High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to top five BNP leaders, including its standing committee members Barrister Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah, in two cases filed with Motijheel Police Station.The two others are BNP chairperson’s adviser and former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo and Khaleda Zia’s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.Meanwhile, a Dhaka court rejected the bail petitions of Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Shimul Biswas and BNP vice-chairman Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed in two other cases filed with the police station.Following separate bail petitions, an HC bench comprising Justice Nizamul Huq and Justice Jahangir Hossain granted the five BNP leaders bail in the two cases filed for vandalism, arson and attacking policemen.The two cases filed on November 5 and September 24 last year.Barrister Rafique-ul Haque, AJ Mohammad Ali and Joynul Abedin, assisted by Barrister Ehsanur Rahman and Sagar Hossain Leon, stood for the accused.Contacted, Barrister Ehsanur Rahman said the bail period was not stated by the court in its short order.He said Abdul Awal Mintoo could be released as there is no further case against him.Meanwhile, the lower court rejected the bail petitions of Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam, Shimul Biswas and Hafizuddin Ahmed in two other cases.Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur passed the order when police produced them before his court, seeking 10 days’ remand for them.The court also asked police to interrogate the BNP leaders at the jail gate within three working days.The two cases were filed in connection with vandalism, torching of vehicles and attacking cops on May 5 and October 24 last year.On the night of November 8 last year, plainclothes police arrested Barrister Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah from the city’s Karwanbazar area as they came out of Sonargaon Hotel.On the following day, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas was also arrested from in front of BNP chairperson’s Gulshan residence.Meanwhile, police arrested BNP leader Hafizuddin Ahmed from in front of the National Press Club in the city on December 29.
