The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the High Court order granting bail to ex-NSU trustee board member MA Kashem in a graft case. A five-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui passed the order rejecting the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) plea to cancel his bail. With this order, now there is no bar for MA Kashem to walk out of the jail, said ACC lawyer Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan. Read more: HC order granting bail to ex-NSU trustee MA Kashem stayed by SC Advocates Murad Reza, Shah Manjurul Haque and Barrister Syed Ahmed Raza appeared for the accused at the court. On November 13, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division stayed the HC order granting bail to MA Kashem and upheld that of another ex-trustee Rehana Rahman in the case. The High Court (HC) on November 10 granted conditional bail to Kashem and Rehana in the case. They were granted bail on condition that they will not leave the country and enter the the NSU campus without permission. In August, the HC issued a rule seeking explanation as to why the two NSU trustee board members should not be granted bail in this case. On May 22, the court ordered Shahbagh police to arrest four ex-NSU trustees after rejecting their anticipatory bail pleas in the case. The two other accused trustees are- Benazir Ahmed and Muhammad Shahjahan. On May 5, the ACC sued the chairman of the board of trustees of North South University (NSU) Azim Uddin Ahmed and five others for embezzling Tk 303.82 crore in the name of buying land for the campus. Read more: HC grants conditional bail to 2 ex-NSU trustees Another accused is- Managing director of Ashalaya Housing and Developers Limited Amin Mohamed Hilali. ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwar filed the case. The case states that over 9088 decimal land was bought in the name of permanent campus development of NSU with the consent of some members of the Board of Trustees bypassing the approval of the University Syndicate, University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education. They later withdrew cash from the buyer through cash checks in their own names and kept FDR in their own names. They unjustly benefited themselves by committing illegal activities through misuse of power and embezzling university and government funds, according to the case. In carrying out such illegal activities, they committed a punishable offence by resorting to fraud and forgery and exchanging commissions.

A Pabna court on Sunday granted bail to 12 farmers who were arrested for defaulting loans taken from a government bank. Pabna Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-2 Shamsuzzaman passed the order after hearing a bail petition, said Advocate Saidur Rahman Sumon who stood for the accused accompanied by two other lawyers. Those who secured bail are: Nure Box, 45; Alam Promanik, 50; Mahatab Mandal, 45; Kitab Ali, 50; Hannan Miah, 30; Mohammad Majnu, 40; Mohammad Atiur Rahman, 50; Shamim Hossain, 45; Samad Promanik, 43; Mohammad Akram, 46; Abdul Goni Mondal, 50; and Rajob Ali, 40. Read: Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader All the farmers are residents of Chhalimpur union under Ishwardi upazila of the district. According to the case statement, a group of farmers – 37 in total – took loans ranging from Tk 25,000 to 40,000 from a branch of Bangladesh Samabaya Bank Ltd in the district in 2016. Later, branch Manager Syed Moazammel Hoque Mahmud filed a case against the farmers for defaulting on loans in 2021. On November 23 this year, a Pabna court issued arrest warrants against the defaulting farmers. Police arrested 12 out of the 37 farmers on Friday. The rest remained absconding since the arrest warrant was issued. Read: HC grants conditional bail to 2 ex-NSU trustees The court asked the absconding farmers to surrender before the court in this connection, the lawyers added. The arrest warrants and the arrest of the farmers raised uproar on social media and surprised people in the country.

The High Court on Tuesday revoked the bail order of a member of the banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam who was arrested from Mymensingh. The accused Shoaib Ahmed was arrested from Mymensingh last year. Read more: Another probe body formed over 2 militants’ escape from court premises The HC bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the order following a note to appeal against the bail order. On Sunday, the court granted militant Shoaib bail in a case filed under the anti-terrorism act. Later, a notice was served to appeal against this bail. Read more: Mastermind behind militant escape from custody identified: CTTC Chief On August 28 last year, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Shoaib and Hujaifa Ahmed conducting a drive at Shoaib’s house in Mymensingh in connection with the case filed at Kotwali police station. During interrogation, the arrestees confessed that they used to recruit members and raised funds to form an organisation inspired by the ideology of Ansar al-Islam, which they would name ‘Mujahid Al Hind Bangladesh.’

The High Court on Monday granted bail to AHM Fuad, Assistant Personal Secretary to former Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives in a case filed over laundering Tk 2,500 Crore, earned through illegal means. The bench of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khizir Hayat passed the order during a hearing on a bail petition submitted by the accused. However, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin, representing the state during the hearing, told UNB an appeal will be made to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking suspension of the bail. Read more: Actress Pori Moni's petition for cancelling narcotics case dismissed On June 26, 2020, Criminal Investigation Department Inspector SM Miraz Al Mahmud filed a case against ousted Faridpur Awami League General Secretary Sazzad Hossain Barkat and his brother Imtiaz Hasan Rubel at capital’s Kafrul police station over money laundering. On March 3, 2021, a charge sheet was submitted in this case against 10 people including AHM Fuad, Barkat, Rubel, Khondokar Nazmul Hossain levi, former president of Faridpur AL, Swechchasebak League leader Ashiqur Rahman alias Farhan, Jubo League leader Fahan Bin Wazed Fine. According to the case complaint, accused Barkat secured the position of top leader of ruling party in the district despite being related to two fugitive death-row convicts for war crimes, Razakars Khokon and Bacchu. Meanwhile his brother Rabiul grabbed the position of Faridpur Press Club president despite never being a journalist. Sheltered and recommended by former Faridpur sadar upazila chairman Khondokar Mohtesham Hasan, and Jubo League leader AHM Fuad, the two brothers illegally acquired assets worth Tk 3,000 crore by controlling tender, trading commissions, drug trade, and extortion from the transportation sector. Read more: HC order granting bail to ex-NSU trustee MA Kashem stayed by SC Of this asset Tk 2,535 crore has already been laundered to foreign countries through Hundi, the complaint said. The case is currently under trial against 51 people including 10 named in the charge sheet. APS of former LGRD minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Fuad submitted a petition seeking bail to the High Court. The High Court today granted him bail disposing a rule it issued earlier in this regard.

A Sri Lankan cricketer charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Australia remained in jail Monday after a court declined his bid for bail. Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested early Sunday at his Sydney hotel and was charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The 31-year-old had traveled to Australia as part of Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup team. Under Australian court rules, not all details of the case can be reported. Read more: Phillips century leads New Zealand to big win over Sri Lanka At the Downing Centre Local Court, Magistrate Robert Williams noted Gunathilaka had no criminal history. But the cricketer's application for release was later refused by the court. Outside the court, defense lawyer Ananda Amaranath said the decision was disappointing and his client was considering appealing to the New South Wales state Supreme Court. Gunathilaka's bail application was made in a closed court, after the police prosecutor lodged an application to prevent publication of the facts of the case and the indictment against the 31-year-old. The motion to suppress was opposed by Amaranath and Stephen Coombs, the senior legal counsel for Nationwide News. The pair made similar arguments — that the victim’s name was already prevented from being made public, and further suppression orders were contrary to open justice. Read more: T20 World Cup: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets But the judge decided to grant an interim order closing the court from public scrutiny on Monday. That order will be reconsidered on Wednesday. The cricketer had spent a night in custody at the Surry Hills Police Station before appearing in handcuffs and a grey T-shirt via video link at the court. “Yes sir,” he told the court when asked if his video link was working. Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup team but only played in the team’s first game, a loss against Namibia, before being ruled out of the competition with a hamstring tear. The cricketer had been holding up well considering the circumstances, his lawyer told media outside the court. “He has the full support of the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board. So he is okay,” Amaranath said. The left-handed batsman has played nearly 100 T20 and one-day internationals for Sri Lanka and eight test matches. Sri Lanka lost its final group match to England on Saturday in the T20 World Cup and the rest of the team — minus Gunathilaka — left for home on Sunday. In a statement Sunday, Sri Lanka Cricket said it had been notified of the charges, would monitor court proceedings closely and, in consultation with the International Cricket Council, would “expeditiously initiate a thorough inquiry into the matter and take stern action against the player if found guilty.”

A Khulna court on Tuesday granted bail to four of the six accused in a case over alleged abduction of Khulna’s Rahima Begum.  Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge Mahmuda Begum passed the order during a hearing on the bail pleas.  Read: Rahima’s statement on ‘disappearance’ misleading: PBI Those granted bail are Mohammad Mohiuddin, assistant engineer of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet), Golam Kibria, Md Jewel, and Rafiqul Islam Palash, said Public Prosecutor KM Iqbal Hossain.  The two other accused- Rahima’s second husband Belal Ghatak and Helal Sharif- are currently in jail, he said.  On August 27, Rahima went missing after she had left her home in the Banikpara area of Doulatpur at 10pm to bring water. Her daughters found her sandals, scarf and water pot. A newer pair of sandals though, had gone missing and that fuelled speculation that she had left home on her own.  Read: Families of arrestees claim Rahima’s daughter Moriom behind mysterious disappearance The family first filed a complaint with the police, based on which the law enforcement lodged a first information report (FIR) against some people over Rahima's disappearance. On September 13, after Rahima remained missing for 17 days and police failed to find her, her younger daughter Aduri Akter appealed to a Khulna court to transfer the case to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).  The same day, police arrested six people in connection with the case and of them four were accused by the plaintiff in the case statement, said police.  On September 24, Rahima Begum was found alive in Faridpur's Boalmari after remaining missing for 29 days. 

The High Court on Wednesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to six employees of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in a case over attacks on journalists of a private television channel in Rajshahi. The bench of Justice Md Rezaul Karim Hasan and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order after the bail petition was placed by the lawyer of the accused. Deputy Attorney General Md Imran Ahmed Bhuiyan stood for the state. Brushing aside the bail plea, the court refused to hear the case, the accused’s lawyer Helal Uddin Molla said adding that they would move another court with the petition.  A reporter and a cameraperson of private ATN News came under attack when they went the BMDA to cover an assignment on September 5. Later, the reporter filed a case against seven identified people and 10 others unidentified at the local police station.   The accused are BMDA’s Executive Director (ED) Md Abdur Rashid, storekeeper Md Jibon, ED’s Peon Selim, Personal Assistant Nurul Islam, office peon Faruk, driver Abdus Sabur and Ansar member Enamul. All the accused except ED Rashid moved the HC seeking bail on Wednesday. Also read: Two BMDA staffers suspended over Rajshahi journo attack    

The High Court on Thursday rejected bail petition of former Tangail municipality  mayor Sahidur Rahman Khan Mukti in a case filed over the  murder of freedom fighter and Awami League leader Faruq Ahmed. The HC bench of Justices Sahidul Karim and Fatema Najib passed the order during a hearing on a rule in this regard. Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed represented the state while advocate SM Shahzahan appeared for the accused during the hearing. On February 10, Tangail Additional District Session Court-1 Jusdge Masud Parvez granted bail to Mukti in this case. Later in February 28, when the same court scrapped his interim bail, Mukti moved High Court seeking bail. On, April 27, the HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and KM Zahid Sarwar Kajol granted Mukti bail in the case. On April 28, the Appellate Division stayed the bail granted by High Court upon a petition filed by the state side. On January 18, 2013, Faruq Ahmed’s bullet-wounded body was recovered from near his house in Tangail. Read: HC grants bail to journalist Kanak Sarwar's sister A murder case was filed against anonymous people at Tangail sadar police station following a complaint received from Faruq’s wife Nahar Ahmed. In 2014, Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Anisul Islam Raja and Mohammad Ali in connection with the murder. The two revealed the involvement of then parliament member of Tangail-3 constituency Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, his three brothers, then Tangail municipality mayor Sahidur Rahman Khan Mukti, Zahidur Rahman Khan Kakan, and then central committee Vice-President of Bangladesh Chhatra League Saniyat Khan Bappa.  In February, 2016, DB police submitted a charge sheet against 14 people including MP Amanur Rahman Khan and his three brothers. In September 2016, Amanur Rahman surrendered and he was granted bail after three years of imprisonment. On December 2, 2020, after remaining absconding for six years Sahidur Rahman Khan Mukti surrendered before court and sought bail which was rejected. Their two other accused brothers in this case have remained absconding.

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a rule seeking explanation as to why two trustee board members of North South University (NSU) should not be granted bail in a case over embezzling money in the name of buying land for the univeristy. The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat issued the rule after turning down the bail pleas of  two trustees-MA Kashem and Rehana Rahman. Advocate Sayed Ahmed Raza and Advocate Shah Monjurul Hoque appeared for the bail petitioners. Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state. On 22 May, the HC ordered Shahbagh police to arrest four NSU trustees after rejecting their anticipatory bail pleas in the case. The other accused trustees are- Benazir Ahmed and Muhammad Shahjahan. Read:HC: Bangladesh Railway gets 7 days more to submit report on mismanagement On May 5, the ACC sued the chairman of the board of trustees of North South University (NSU) Azim Uddin Ahmed and five others for embezzling Tk 303.82 crore in the name of buying land for the campus. Another accused is- Managing director of Ashalaya Housing and Developers Limited Amin Mobammad Hilali. ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwar filed the case. According to the Private University Act, 2010, the Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of a private university like North South University. According to the Memorandum of Association and Articles (Rules and Regulations) of the University, the University is a charitable, welfare oriented, non-commercial and non-profit educational institution, said the case statement. The case states that over 9088 decimal land was bought in the name of campus development of NSU with the consent of some members of the Board of Trustees bypassing the approval of the University Syndicate, University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Education. They later withdrew cash from the buyer through cash checks in their own names and kept FDR in their own names. They unjustly benefited themselves by committing illegal activities through misuse of power and embezzling university and government funds, according to the case. In carrying out such illegal activities, they have committed a punishable offense by resorting to fraud and forgery and exchanging commissions.

The High Court Thursday granted permanent bail to Regent Hospital Chair Mohammad Shahed in a corruption case filed on charge of nearly Tk2.75 crore embezzlement from Padma Bank (formerly Farmers Bank). The bench of Justice SM Kuddus Zaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kazal gave the order. Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while lawyer Masudul Haque stood for Shahed. In 2020, ACC Deputy Director Md Shahjahan Miraj filed a case against four people, including Shahed. The ACC will appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, Khurshid said. Also, Shahed, who was arrested in several other criminal cases, cannot be released from jail, he added. Also read: SC suspends bail order by HC to Regent’s Shahed in arms case