Gun toting ex-BCL duo get bail

Although police could not trace two expelled Chhatra League leaders who brandished guns during a recent clash in Gulistan, a Dhaka court on Thursday granted them bail in an attempted murder case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Khurshid Alam passed the order after hearing their bail petitions.

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In the bail order, the magistrate said the accused were granted bail as there were no specific charges against them. The two were granted bail on a bond of Tk 3,000 each with two guarantors.

Police, however, said they were not aware of the two former BCL leaders' bail.

Earlier, the pro-Awami League student body expelled its Dhaka city South unit general secretary Md Sabbir Hossain and Wari unit general secretary Ashiqur Rahman for violating organisational discipline.  

On Oct 27, a clash broke out in Gulistan when a city corporation team launched a drive to remove illegal makeshift shops from pavements and the underpass market area. The clash left 10 people, including two corporation employees, injured.

During the clash, Sabbir and Ashiqur were seen firing in the air. The picture of the two brandishing guns appeared in the media the next day. Some national dailies ran reports quoting police that there was no trace of the two.

Sub-Inspector Md Abdul Mannan of Shahbagh Police Station filed the case on October 31 against the two and 50 to 60 unnamed people.

Talking to The Daily Star, Officer-in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique of Shahbag Police Station yesterday said, “We are trying to arrest the two. We cannot trace them because their mobile phones are switched off. I don't know whether they secured bail.”

Mahmudur Rahman, general recording officer of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court, said he opposed the petitions arguing that there was a specific allegation against the two of attempting to kill hawkers and processionists, but the court granted them bail exercising its inherent power.    

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu told this correspondent that he did not know about the bail order and the general recording office did not inform him about it.

He said the authorities concerned should have informed him about the matter because it is a sensational case and the incident was reported in many national dailies.

Former Dhaka Bar Association president Masud Ahmed Talukder said if such offenders secure bail in a short time, it would encourage others to commit similar offences.