The High Court has granted six months' ad-interim bail to BNP chairperson's adviser and former Jatiya Press Club president Shawkat Mahmud in three arson cases.
The High Court also issued three separate rules seeking explanations as to why he should not be granted regular bail in the cases. The government has been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.
Read more: Journalist Shawkat Mahmud arrested in arson case
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Amir Hossain passed the order after hearing three separate bail petitions filed by the accused. However, Shawkat will not be released from jail as he is accused in 15 other cases.
Shawkat Mahmud was arrested from the capital's Panthapath area on August 18.
The three cases in which he secured ad-interim bail were filed with Ramna, Khilgaon and Rampura police stations on January 10, 13 and February 3 respectively, during the BNP-led alliance’s movement this year.
