After a series of dramatic developments, Mahmudul Haque, assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRU), has been released on bail.
Acting Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Rangpur Mst Marzia Khatun granted the bail order at around 4:45pm on Sunday.
Mahmudul was released from jail at around 6pm. His wife, Masuba Hasan Moon, and elder son, Maimun Meheran, had been waiting in front of the main gate of the prison.
He was brought out on a stretcher and placed in an ambulance, which then transported him directly to his residence. His wife and son accompanied him in the ambulance.
Moon said her husband had been unjustly arrested in a false case.
She added that they arrived with an ambulance after learning that he had fallen ill while in custody.
She also said that BRUR students had organized numerous protests demanding his release. “My husband will explain the full matter himself,” she added.
Meanwhile, Abdul Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Hajirhat police station, who was involved in the filing of the case in which Mahmudul is an accused, has been transferred to the position of OC of the Rangpur Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB).
RMP Commissioner Majid Ali said the transfer was made on administrative grounds and had no connection with the case.
Mahmudul’s lawyer, Advocate Shamim Al Mamun, said the court granted bail until the submission of the charge sheet, as stated in the order.
Earlier in the day, they had submitted the bail petition to the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Shoebur Rahman in Rangpur.
The petition explained that the case involved the death of grocery shop owner Somes Uddin, who reportedly suffered a heart attack while fleeing from police on August 2 in the Najirer Hat-Radhakrishnapur area of Rangpur.
Ten months after the incident, police summoned his wife, Amena Begum, to the station, where she was allegedly coerced into filing a murder case portraying her late husband as a national hero of the July uprising.
Mahmudul was arrested last Thursday in the case.
The lawyer described this act as nothing short of fraud, claiming a heart patient had been turned into a national hero.
Furthermore, both Amena and her son Ashiqur Rahman admitted that they were brought to the police station and compelled to file the case.
Mahmudul was listed as the 54th accused in the case, despite there being no direct allegations against him. He had, in fact, played a notable role in the July uprising.
Following the hearing, the judge had scheduled the next hearing for Tuesday.
Later, after learning of Mahmudul’s deteriorating health in custody, his legal team filed a special petition at the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court. Following an afternoon hearing, the judge granted him bail.
Following the court’s announcement of a further bail hearing on Tuesday, students erupted in renewed protests, filling the court premises with slogans.
Student leader Shahariar Sohag declared that demonstrations would continue daily at the court premises until Mahmudul Haque is released.
He also announced a blockade of the Rangpur-Dhaka Highway at Modern intersection and a siege of the metropolitan police commissioner’s office on Monday.
Later in the afternoon, agitated students locked the university’s administrative building, confining officials and staff inside. They warned that the university would be shut down entirely if Mahmudul Haque was not released.
