Staff Reporters :
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued rules upon the government to explain as to why 20 prisoners, who have been in jail for more than a decade, should not be granted bail in separate cases.
The two HC Benches passed the order as Suo Moto and also sought files and documents of the cases.
The HC Benches also ordered the jail authorities to produce 10 of these 20 prisoners in the relevant HC bench on February 23, five others on February 26 and remaining five on February 28.
Panel lawyer of Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee Syeda Sabina Ahmed Moli brought the information of 10 prisoners, who have been in Sylhet and Khulna jails more than a decade, to the attention of a HC bench on Monday.
The HC Bench of Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice S H Md Nurul Huda Jaigirdar passed the order as Suo Moto and issued a rule in this regard.
Besides, the Bench also ordered the jail authorities to produce the said 10 prisoners on February 23 in the court.
Faruq Hossain from Moulivibazar has been in Sylhet Central Jail since February 9 in 2005, Selim Mia from Brahmanbaria in the same jail in a murder case since April 21 in 2005, Raju Jagannath in the same jail in another murder case since March 3 in 2003 and Bashir Uddin in another murder case from July 4 in 2003.
Habibur Rahman has been in Satkhira District Jail since December 26 in 2005 in a case, Moniruzzaman Munna in the same jail since September 11 in 2005, Nasir Uddin since September 11 in 2005 and Gias Uddin since September 13 in 2005. Haider Ali has been in Jhenaidah District Jail since March 10 in 1998 and Md Rafiqul Islam Raja in Pirojpur District Jail since October 29 in 2006 in separate murder cases.
Meanwhile, another panel lawyer of Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee Anich-ul Mawa brought the information of another 10 prisoners, who have been serving in Mymensingh, Rajshahi and Khulna (partial) jails for more than a decade, to the notice of another HC Bench on Monday.
The HC Bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Devnath passed the order as Suo Moto after hearing and issued rule on the matter. Nazrul Islam has been serving in Mymensingh Central Jail since May 18 in 2004 in two cases, Siraj in the same jail since March 10 in 2005 in a murder case and Alam Mia in the same jail since September 5 in 2006. Matiur has been in Rajshahi Central Jail since December 12 in 2006 in a case and Fayen in the same jail since May 13 in 2006 in a murder case.
Kalam has been in Pabna District Jail since April 15 in 2004 in a murder case, Abdul Khaleq in Natore District Jail since October 18 in 2005, Apurba Das in Jessore Central Jail since July 22 in 2005, Tayob Sheikh in Khulna District Jail since August 16 in 2003 and Md Sumon in the same jail since February 4 in 2004.
