Abdus Salam Pintu, Vice Chairman of the BNP, has been released from Kashimpur Central Jail after spending nearly 17 years behind bars.
His freedom came after the High Court acquitted him in the infamous 21 August grenade attack case.
The official documents confirming his release arrived at the jail late the night before, paving the way for his release.
Around 11 am on Tuesday, Pintu stepped out of the prison gates to be greeted by a jubilant crowd of family, BNP party leaders, and supporters.
They celebrated his return with flowers, garlands, and a procession of cheers.
Pintu, a former deputy minister during the BNP-led government, was arrested in connection with the deadly grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004.
The attack killed 24 people and left more than 300 injured, making it one of the most notorious political crimes in Bangladesh`s history.
In 2018, a trial court sentenced Pintu and 18 others to death for their involvement in the attack.
Other notable figures convicted included Lutfozzaman Babar, a former state minister for home affairs.
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, political secretary Harris Chowdhury, and senior leader Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad received life sentences.
Pintu has been an active figure in the BNP for many years.
He was the founding general secretary of the Tangail District BNP and served as a Member of Parliament for Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuiyanpur) in 1991, 1996, and 2001.
In 2001, he was appointed as a deputy minister under the BNP-led coalition government.
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