The High Court (HC) has said that the country has become a hell during a hearing of the bail petition of Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary of the human rights organization Odhikar, and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, its director, in a case filed under the ICT Act.
Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad made the observation on Tuesday.
Aj Mohammad Ali, the lawyer of the Odhikar officials, told the court that they had been sentenced to two years in jail in an ICT case. They were also fined Tk10,000 each.
At this time, Deputy Attorney General Rezaul Karim again opposed the bail.
When State Counsel Deputy Attorney General Rezaul Karim opposed the bail petition, the justice said: “Then why did you sentence them to two years in prison? Couldn't you give them life sentences?”
At one point in his speech, the justice also addressed the state counsel and said: "You have made the country a hell."
Later, the High Court ordered the hearing of the appeal filed by Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasir Uddin Elan against the two-year prison sentence in the Information and Communication Technology Act case. At the same time, the court suspended their fine and granted bail.
They were convicted on September 14 of disseminating false death figures in an operation against Hefazat-e-Islam members at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka a decade ago.
The trial court canceled their bail and ordered them to be sent to jail with conviction warrants.
They were also fined Tk10,000 each, in default of which they would have to spend an extra month in prison.
Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan filed an appeal against their two-year prison term on September 25.