New Market clashes: 14 BNP leaders, activists get 6-week anticipatory bail

The High Court on Tuesday granted six-week anticipatory bail to 14 BNP leaders and activists in a case over clashes between New Market shop keepers and Dhaka College students.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Salim passed the order after the accused appeared before the court and sought bail.

The court also asked the accused to surrender before the concerned judicial court before the six-week bail period expires, reports UNB.

Amir Hossain Alamgir, convener of New Market Thana Jubo Dal, was among the BNP leaders.

Barrister Kayser Kamal stood for the bail petitioners at the court while Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan represented the state.

On April 20, police filed two cases-one for attacking police and another under the Explosive Substances Act against around 1,200 people .

Of the two cases, Yeamin Kabir, inspector (investigation) of New Market Police Station lodged an FIR against 24 identified people and 900 unidentified ones.

The main accused in the case, Advocate Makbul Hossain, former president of New Market Thana BNP, has been arrested.

Two people died and more than 30 people, including journalists and students, were injured as the students of Dhaka College clashed with the shopkeepers of New Market at the Nilkhet intersection from midnight on April 18-19.

Shopkeepers, however, alleged that the students were beaten up as they had refused to foot the bill at an eatery.