The High Court on Monday granted ad-interim bail to BNP chairperson’s adviser and journalist leader Shawkat Mahmud in three cases for vandalism and arson attacks.An HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain passed the order after hearing the bail petitions in the cases.Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain stood for Shawkat Mahmud.However, Shawkat Mahmud will have to remain in jail as he is yet to secure bail in 15 other cases, said his lawyer M Masud Rana. Earlier on November 3, the court granted ad-interim bail to the BNP chairperson’s adviser in two cases. On August 19 last, a Dhaka court placed Shawkat Mahmud on a three-day remand after his arrest from the city’s Panthapath area on August 18.On August 22, the court sent Shawkat Mahmud to jail on the expiry of his three-day remand.He was shown arrested in 20 cases, including for arson attacks on vehicles, vandalizing vehicles and crude bomb blasts, with different police stations in the capital.
