The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the deputy commissioner of Sylhet to immediately return Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury's passport for six months.

The bench of Justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty passed the order following a petition filed by the SCC mayor.

Ariful's passport had remained in the custody of the deputy commissioner of Sylhet since last year following a High Court directive.

The HC ordered the SCC mayor to submit his passport to the DC after he was granted bail in Kibria murder case, Ariful's lawyer Advocate Falzur Rahman said.

The lawyer said the passport is needed immediately as Ariful and his wife will attend their daughter's convocation ceremony in London. 

On August 14 this year, a Sylhet court refused to pass any order on returning SCC mayor's passport.

Ariful recently filed a revision petition with the HC challenging the Sylhet court order.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star that the government will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking stay on the HC order.