Fakhrul released on bail

--Released after six months of arrest

--Gets six-week bail

--Suffers cardiac ailments

--Accused in 89 cases

--Detained on January 6

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was released on bail from prison this evening, over six months after his arrest.

He got out of the prison cell at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), where he was undergoing treatment, around 7:20pm, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a media wing staff of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Sorbottom Chakma, deputy jailor at Dhaka Central Jail, reached the BSMMU around 6:30pm with the release order, Sayrul added.

Coming out of the prison cell, Fakhrul expressed his gratitude to the media for making reports on his detention.

“I am sick. I have been suffering from cardiac ailments. I like to thank the Almighty Allah that I have been released from jail even it may be for a while,” he said adding that he will go abroad for treatment.

“I will serve the people of my country after returning from abroad.”

The Supreme Court yesterday granted a six-week bail to Fakhrul on medical grounds, clearing the way for his release from jail.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha also directed Fakhrul to surrender before a lower court concerned after six weeks.

In its order, the apex court said Fakhrul could get advanced treatment abroad within six weeks' time as the medical report suggested, “He can go to an advanced centre where intervention for carotid lesions may be possible”.

The Appellate Division passed the order after receiving the report from the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on the BNP leader's health condition.

The SC order maintains the June 21 High Court decision granting ad-interim bail to Fakhrul in three cases for vandalism and arson. The cases were filed with Paltan police on January 4 and 6.

On July 9, the SC ordered the BSMMU authorities to form a new board to examine Fakhrul's health and submit a “complete” medical report before it.

The authorities submitted the medical report before the SC on July 12.

The apex court had ordered to form the fresh medical board after Fakhrul's lawyers raised questions over a previous report submitted by a three-member medical board of the BSMMU on July 8.

Besides granting Fakhrul ad interim bail in the three cases, the HC on June 21 also issued three separate rules upon the government to explain as to why he should not be granted regular bail in the cases.

On June 28, the SC upheld the HC orders that on June 18 had granted bail to Fakhrul in three other vandalism and arson cases.

In its order, the SC said Fakhrul would remain on bail until submission of the probe report by the police to the lower court concerned.

The SC also ordered the BNP acting secretary general to surrender before the lower court the day the law enforcers would submit their report in any of the cases.

Of the three cases, two were filed with Paltan Police Station on December 28 last year and January 4 this year. The other was lodged with Motijheel Police Station on January 6.

On April 16, Fakhrul, who is accused in 89 cases, got bail from the HC in another similar case.

The BNP leader was detained from the Jatiya Press Club on January 6, and later, was shown arrested in seven cases.