The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to Dhaka University Prof Asif Nazrul in two separate cases filed in Madaripur recently over a Facebook post.

One of the cases was lodged in connection with defaming Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan through a Facebook post and another one under much-talked about section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act.

The HC bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman gave bail to Asif Nazrul for 10 weeks in the defamation case and till submission of the police report in the case filed under the ICT act.

The judges came up with the order after hearing two separate petitions submitted by Asif Nazrul seeking anticipatory bail in the cases.

Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star that the government would move an appeal before the Supreme Court's Appellate Division challenging the HC order of bail to Asif in the case filed under the ICT act.

Asif Nazrul yesterday appeared before the court for bail in the cases.

Advocate M Asaduzzaman argued for the accused.