Bangladesh News

Eight Dhaka metropolitan magistrates yesterday granted bail to over 300 people, held as part of the mass arrest drive, in connection with the cases filed against them with different police stations in the capital.

The people were arrested on Thursday, Friday and Saturday ahead of the Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance’s countrywide blockade for January 7, 8 and 9.

Meantime, police yesterday forwarded over 383 arrestees to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s (CMM) Court, showing them arrested in different criminal cases. But the court fixed tomorrow for hearing their bail petitions.

The CMM’s court fixed yesterday for hearing the bail petitions of the people arrested on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, although they were produced before the court on different dates after their arrest. The court had also sent them to the Dhaka Central Jail.

The victims were shown arrested in different criminal cases, especially in theft, illegal trespass and criminal intimidation.

Police started mass arrest in the capital and elsewhere in the country ahead of the Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance’s countrywide blockade.

AL leaders claimed that most of the arrested are their leaders and activists. Many innocent day labourers, drivers, rickshawpullers and passers-by also fell victim to the mass arrest that began on Thursday midnight.

The drive followed a meeting between the home secretary and the inspector general of police at the Bangabhaban.

Of the 594 arrestees produced before the CMM’s court on Friday, 250 were shown arrested in regular cases, 14 under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the others under the DMP Act.

After hearing, the court sent the 250 to the central jail fixing yesterday for their bail hearing and released 330 others on bail, court sources said.

Of the 698 arrestees produced before the court on Saturday, 355 got release after paying the fine imposed by the court. The court sent the remaining others, implicated in regular cases, to the central jail and fixed yesterday for their bail hearings.

Of the 383 arrestees forwarded to the court on Sunday, 184 got release after paying fine. The court also sent the remaining others, implicated in regular cases, to jail custody and fixed tomorrow for their bail hearings.