The Supreme Court today upheld High Court orders that stayed the trial proceedings against six BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in nine separate vandalism and arson cases filed in 2015.

The other five BNP leaders accused are: Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Aman Ullah Aman and Syeda Asifa Ashrafi Papiya.

The apex court, however, asked the HC to hear and dispose of the rules issued in connection with the cases.

A full bench of Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain came up with the orders after virtually hearing nine separate leave to appeal petitions filed by the state seeking stay on the HC orders.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the state, while AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented the accused during the proceedings of the court.

Mahbub Uddin Khokon told The Daily Star that the stay orders on the trial proceedings against the BNP leaders will remain in force following the apex court orders.

The HC will hear the rules for their disposals, he said, adding that all the accused are on bail in the cases.

Following four petitions filed by the BNP leaders, the HC in 2017 stayed the trial proceedings in nine vandalism and arson cases filed against them, and also issued nine rules asking the state to explain as to why the case proceedings should not be scrapped.

The cases were filed with different police stations in Dhaka during the anti-government agitation enforced by the BNP-led alliance in 2015.