A Dhaka court today rejected the bail petition of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a case filed over the vandalism of the chief justice's residence during the BNP-police clash on October 28.

Acting judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judges court Faisal Atiq Bin Quader rejected the petition after hearing from the prosecution and the defence.

Mirza Fakhrul landed in jail on October 29.

The defence lawyer said Fakhrul is now 81 years old and he has been suffering from various ailments including cardiac issues, and he was not present during the vandalism.

The prosecution did not mention his involvement specifically, so his bail petition should be granted, the lawyer said.

While opposing the bail petition, Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu told the court that as per the direction and instigation of Fakhrul and other top BNP leaders, party leaders and activists had committed offences including attacking the chief justice' residence.

The High Court today allowed BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to place arguments through his lawyers on the rule that questioned the constitutionality of the 15th amendment that scrapped the non-partisan caretaker government system.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury granted a petition filed by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to become a party in this case.

Senior lawyer Advocate Zainul Abedin moved the petition before the bench, saying that his client wants to place arguments on this issue.

The bench is scheduled to hold a hearing on the rule tomorrow that questioned the constitutionality of the 15th amendment of the constitution.

The 15th amendment bill was passed by the Jatiya Sangsad on June 30, 2011, and signed into law on July 3 the same year. It abolished the caretaker government system introduced by the 13th amendment in 1996. The law also recognised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Father of the Nation and increased the number of reserved seats for women in parliament from 45 to 50.

Following the amendment to the constitution, three general elections were held on January 5, 2014, December 30, 2018 and January 7 this year with Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in the prime minister's office. The scrapping of the 13th amendment created huge controversy and sparked outrage among opposition political parties.

Another HC bench led by Justice Naima Haider, who is now on leave, on August 19 this year issued a rule asking the respondents to show causes as to why the Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Act, 2011 should not be declared unconstitutional, and why the previous actions and deeds done or taken in any manner under this act should not be treated as transactions past and closed.

Secretaries at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat were made respondents to the rule, which was returnable in 10 days.

The bench issued the rule following a writ petition challenging the legality and constitutionality of the 15th amendment.

Five conscious citizens — Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of rights organisation Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, Tofail Ahmed, M Hafizuddin Khan, Md Jobirul Hoque Bhuiyan and Zahrah Rahman — submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on August 18.

BNP leaders and activists have begun their march from capital's Abdullahpur area to press home their one-point demand for polls under a non-party interim government.

They started their march from Uttara's Abdullahpur area and will end the procession at Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka around 4:00pm, reports our correspondent from the spot.

Photo: Mostafa Yousuf

BNP supporters, activists and leaders started gathering at Mollajir Masjid Market of Abdullahpur since 9:00am from various parts of Dhaka.

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BNP road marches attacked

Abdur Nur Matin, a member of the convening committee of Dokkinkhan BNP, told The Daily Star that he arrived at Abdullahpur with his supporters around 9:00am.

Meanwhile, attacks on BNP processions yesterday in the capital and different districts left one activist dead and over 350 others injured as the party supporters marched demanding resignation of the government.

Photo: Amran Hossain/Star

Besides, clashes between the BNP men, Awami League, and police in Bogura, Kishoreganj, Khagrachhari, Pirojpur, and Joypurhat left 57 policemen and 40 ruling party activists injured.

The incidents happened as the BNP held its first countrywide demonstration to press home its one-point demand for the government to step down and the next national election to be held under a non-partisan administration.

BNP's like-minded parties also demonstrated in different parts of the country.

Earlier on July 12, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formally announced a "one-point movement".

As part of the first programme to realise the one-point demand, he also announced a two-day countrywide march programme for July 18 and 19.