By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
Turning down the plea filed by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir seeking extension of the deadline for his surrender in three cases for street violence, the supreme court (SC) yesterday asked him to surrender to lower court today.
A four-member bench, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha, passed the order rejecting the petition, said additional attorney general Murad Reza.
As the deadline for Fakhrul’s surrender expired yesterday, the SC asked Fakhrul to surrender to lower court today.
The SC also asked the high court to settle the rule asking to explain within two weeks why Fakhrul should not be granted permanent bail in the three cases, added the additional attorney general.
Earlier on October 28, the BNP leader filed a petition before the SC seeking further extension of deadline for his surrender.
Fakhrul’s counsel Sagir Hossain Leon submitted the petition before the SC seeking extension of the deadline by eight weeks.
Earlier, the SC extended the deadline for Mirza Fakhrul’s surrender twice.
On October 6, the SC extended until November 2 its order asking the BNP acting secretary general to surrender before the lower court in three cases.
Following a petition, the supreme court first extended for six weeks its earlier order on August 31 asking the BNP leader to surrender.
The SC on July 13 upheld the high court bail for six weeks to the BNP acting secretary general in the three cases related to street violence considering his need for advanced treatment abroad.
The SC came up with the order after receiving a report from a five-member medical team, comprising two surgeons of vascular surgery, a respiratory medicine specialist, a medicine specialist and a cardiologist, formed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital (BSMMU) authorities on the health condition of the BNP leader.
The court also asked Fakhrul to surrender to the trial court before expiry of the bail.
Six months after his arrest, the BNP leader who has been facing a number of cases relating to political violence, was released from jail on July 14.
On January 6, plainclothes police picked up Fakhrul as he came out of the National Press Club after nearly 25 hours of stay there following BNP’s announcement to observe January-5 as ‘Democracy Death Day’, protesting the 10th parliamentary polls held on that day.
Meanwhile, a court in Jessore district town sent six leaders of BNP, including Jessore municipality mayor Maruful Islam, to jail after rejecting their bail petitions in a case for subversive activities.
The BNP leaders are Jessore municipality mayor and the district unit BNP president Maruful Islam, its vice-president Rafiqur Rahman Totan, organising secretary Delawar Hossain Khokan, joint-secretary Abdus Salam, member Aninda Islam Amit, who is also son of BNP standing committee member Tariqul Islam, and councilor of ward no 5 Azizul Kamal Sweet.
Senior judicial magistrate Abu Ibrahim passed the order when the BNP leaders appeared before the court seeking bail in the case.
Earlier on Sunday evening, Abdur Rahman Sardar, a prosecution witness in the war crimes case against convicted Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdus Sobhan came under attack at Shahapur Masjid Para in Ishwardi over a land dispute.
The attack on Rahman is linked to an altercation he had with local Awami League leader Sadek Ali over land, according to police.
Bishu, a supporter of Sadek Ali, hacked Rahman with a sharp weapon, leaving him injured.
