HC defers Fakhrul's bail hearing till next week

The High Court today deferred till next week the hearing on the rule regarding BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's bail in a case filed over vandalising the chief justice's residence on October 28.

The HC bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Shahed Nuruddin, which was set today to hold the hearing, passed the deferment order following a time petition by Fakhrul's lawyer Waliur Rahman.

No senior lawyer backed by BNP appeared for Fakhrul before the HC bench as they were observing a court boycott across the country since January 1 on different demands.

On December 7 last year, the HC bench issued the rule asking the state to explain in seven days why Fakhrul should not be granted bail in the case.

On December 3, Fakhrul filed the bail petition with the HC through his lawyers, saying he was not involved in the vandalism of the chief justice's residence in any manner.

He is an elderly person, and has been suffering from different diseases including heart problems, he said.

Fakhrul landed in jail on October 29 in connection with the case filed with Ramna Police Station. Since then, the BNP leader has been languishing in jail.

A Dhaka court on November 22 refused to grant him bail in the case.

The chief justice's residence was vandalised during the violence centring the BNP rally in the capital on October 28. BNP were demanding resignation of the Awami League government and holding of polls under a non-party caretaker government.

The ruling AL stood firm on holding the polls under the current government as per the constitution.

The 12th parliamentary polls is scheduled for January 7.