Fakhrul‍‍`s bail petition denied again

A Dhaka court today rejected BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir‍‍`s bail appeal in a case involving the vandalism of the chief justice‍‍`s residence on October 28 last year during the BNP-police clash.

With this, Fakhrul‍‍`s bail has been denied four times by the High Court and lower courts on separate occasions.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Farzana Shakila Sumu Chowdhury issued the order after his lawyer filed a petition for bail in the case.

The defence lawyer said Fakhrul is now 76 years old and has been suffering from a variety of diseases, including heart difficulties, and that he was not present during the vandalism.

The prosecution made no particular reference of his involvement, hence his bail petition should be approved, according to the lawyer.

While opposing the bail plea, the prosecution said the court that Fakhrul and other top BNP leaders directed and instigated party leaders and supporters to commit crimes, including attacking the chief justice‍‍`s residence.

After hearing both sides, the magistrate denied the defence plea.

Fakhrul was previously granted bail in ten additional instances involving political violence filed with the Ramna and Paltan police stations on October 28.

Of the cases, six were filed with Paltan Model Police Station, while the rest were filed with Ramna Model Police Station.

The charges in the cases include killing of a police constable, illegal gathering on the street, vandalising vehicles, rioting, snatching a police weapon, damaging properties, assaulting police personnel and preventing them from discharging their duties.

On October 29, Fakhrul was arrested in a case filed with Ramna Police Station over the attack on the residence of the chief justice.

Later on November 22, acting judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judges court Faisal Atiq Bin Kader rejected his bail in the case.

He was also denied bail by the High Court on January 10 in the same case.