High Court questions legality of the arrest of four BNP leaders

The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the arrest of four BNP leaders defying the directives of the Appellate Division should not be declared illegal. The bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule following a petition filed by BNP Vice-Chairman Hafiz Uddin. The court also fixed August 1 for the next hearing. The four BNP leaders are the party’s Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal President Shafiul Bari Babu, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Dhaka north unit President SM Mizanur Rahman and Vice President Zakir Hossain Milon. The court also issued another rule asking the government to explain as to why directives should not be given against those involved in arresting the four BNP leaders without complying with the order given by the Appellate Division. The home secretary, the inspector general of police, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner, the deputy commissioner (DC) and additional DC of DMP’s Ramna Zone, the additional commissioner of Detective Branch North Zone, the DC of South Zone, and seven others were made respondent to the rule which is returnable in four weeks. Barrister Moudud Ahmed stood for petitioner BNP leader Syeda Asifa Ashrafi Papiya, who filed it on March 29, while Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Saju represented the state. According to the petition, the four BNP leaders were arrested by plainclothesmen from different parts of Dhaka between February 24 and March 8. On March 12, BNP alleged that Zakir Hossain Milon died in police custody.