A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted bail to a Jubo Mohila League activist in an attempted murder case linked to the July uprising, paving the way for her release along with her one-and-a-half-month-old infant.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing a review petition filed by the defence. The court granted bail on a bond of Tk 5,000, effective until submission of the police report.
Earlier in the day, the investigation officer of the case – Sub-Inspector Sheikh Nazrul of Tejgaon Police Station Islam – sought a court order to keep the accused – Shilpi Begum – in jail.
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Following hearings from both sides, Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Awlad Hossain Muhammad Junaid initially rejected her bail and ordered her to be sent to jail.
Shilpi Begum, an activist of Dhaka North Jubo Mohila League’s ward No. 26, was arrested on Monday evening from the Tejkunipara Railway Colony area.
She was produced before the court around 2:00pm on Tuesday, where several family members, including her husband, sister and aunt, were present.
Family members told the court that Shilpi had given birth to the baby through a caesarean section on March 4 and is still physically weak. They said she is unable to properly breastfeed or even hold the baby due to complications, including a fractured left arm from a recent fall.
Despite family appeals to keep the infant with them, police did not permit separation, and both mother and child were later taken to Kashimpur Jail.
According to the case statement, Dhaka University student Tahmid Mubin Ratul was shot in the Chankharpool area on July 16, 2024, and later attacked along with fellow students at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
On July 23, a group of 120-130 people allegedly attacked his residence in Tejgaon, vandalising property worth Tk 5 lakh and looting goods valued at Tk 3 lakh.
The case was filed on January 25, 2025 by Ratul’s mother Shahnur Khanam at Tejgaon Police Station, naming 103 accused, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.