The High Court on Monday ordered the immediate release of a prisoner who has been in jail for four years even though he was given a one-year prison sentence.
The victim is Rezaul Kabir Sweet, a resident of Kolapara in Munshiganj district.
Following a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice M Mostafizur Rahman sought lower court documents of the case and issued a rule.
The court asked the home secretary, inspector general of police (IGP), judge of Special Judge Court-8 of Dhaka, inspector general of prisons, Gazipur jail super, Kashimpur senior jail super and plaintiff Md Mujibur Rahman to reply to the rule within four weeks.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir accompanied by Md Asad Uddin stood for Sweet. According to the lawyers, Sweet was arrested in a case filed for cheque dishonour on August 5, 2015.
On September 18, 2018, the lower court sentenced Sweet to one year in jail, showing him as a fugitive, even though he had never secured bail and stepped out of jail since his arrest.
Sweet sent a letter on the matter to the court through the jail authorities on August 6, 2019. However, the court did not take any measure in this regard.
Later, a writ petition was filed with the High Court.
