Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
A Dhaka court yesterday sent Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to jail after rejecting his bail plea in three cases of violence.
Fakhrul had surrendered earlier in the day before the trial court as per a Supreme Court order.
The BNP acting secretary general had gone abroad for treatment after securing a three-month interim bail from the highest court. His bail was extended after he returned home.
However, the apex court on Monday scrapped his plea seeking more time before surrender.
Metropolitan Magistrate Maruf Hossain denied bail pleas moved by the BNP leader saying he has ‘no jurisdiction’ as Fakhrul was denied bail by the Supreme Court.
The court, however, directed the prison authorities to consider his physical condition and provide him with proper treatment.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered Fakhrul to surrender before a lower court by Tuesday after hearing three separate petitions filed by Fakhrul seeking an extension of its order that granted him bail in the cases.
Fakhrul appeared before the court at around 3pm yesterday and moved three separate petitions over three arson and vandalism cases filed with the Paltan police station.
Upset with the court’s order, pro-BNP lawyers took out a procession at court premises.
Following bail petitions filed by Fakhrul, the High Court on June 21 granted ad interim bail to the BNP leader in the cases and also issued three separate rulings upon the government to explain as to why he should not be granted regular bail in the cases filed with Paltan police station in the capital on January 4 and 6.
On July 13, the Supreme Court granted a six-week bail to the BNP leader on medical grounds, clearing the way for his release from jail. The apex court also directed him to surrender before a lower court after the six weeks.
On August 31, the SC extended the bail order for six weeks more. On October 6, it further extended till Monday its bail order for Fakhrul on medical grounds in the cases.
Fakhrul, who stands accused in 89 cases, got bail from the High Court and lower courts in other similar cases.
HEARING DEFERRED: The Bangladesh Supreme Court has deferred till November 17 the hearing of petitions filed by two condemned war criminals seeking review of its judgments that upheld their death penalties for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 liberation war.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mojaheed and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Salauddin on October 14 sought review of the court verdicts that upheld their capital punishment in June and July.
The International Crimes Tribunal issued execution warrants for both on October 1, a day after the court released the full verdicts.