Ctg's top criminal 'Choto Sazzad', wife get bail in four murder cases within a week

Chattogram Metropolitan Police's top-listed criminal Sazzad Hossain, alias Chhoto Sazzad, and his wife, Sharmin Akhter Tamanna, have secured bail from the High Court in four murder cases within a span of one week. Those concerned took steps at multiple stages to keep the bail matter out of public view.

Sazzad is an accused in 19 cases, including 10 murder cases, while his wife faces eight cases, several of them involving murder.

According to court records, the High Court granted bail to Sazzad and Tamanna on 15 September in the murder case of salesman Shahidul Islam, filed with Chandgaon Police Station on 19 August 2024.

On the same day, the same bench also granted bail to the couple and another accused in the murder case of Wasim Akram, filed with Panchlaish Police Station on 18 August 2024.

Within a week, on 22 September, the same bench granted them bail in two more murder cases – the killing of salesman Md Faruk, filed on 28 August 2024, and the murder of Aftab Uddin Tahsin, both under Panchlaish Police Station.

In all four cases, the division bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Yousuf Abdullah Suman granted bail until the court rules are disposed of.

Although bail was granted on 15 and 22 September, High Court Assistant Registrar Md Yousuf Ali signed the bail orders on 18 September and 5 October, respectively. The orders reached the Chattogram court nearly two and a half months later, on 8 December.

Under normal procedure, once the High Court grants bail, the bail order reaches the prison within a week, and the accused is released. In this case, the bail bonds were not submitted immediately, delaying the process.

Confirming the bail, Sazzad's lawyer Abu Bakkar Siddique said Sazzad and Tamanna, who are currently in custody, have secured bail in four cases and that the bail orders have been sent to the prison. However, he said he could not explain why the documents reached Chattogram from the High Court so late.

Chattogram Central Jail Superintendent Shah Syed Sharif said, "The High Court bail orders have been received in three cases against Sazzad Hossain, alias Chhoto Sazzad."

"Bail orders have also been received in four cases involving his wife, Tamanna," he said.

"Sazzad is currently held in Rajshahi Jail, while Tamanna is in Feni Jail. The relevant documents have been sent to the respective prisons," he added.

Those concerned said the delay followed heightened scrutiny after the killing of Sazzad's rival, Sarwar Babla.

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Sarwar Babla was shot dead in public at a market on 5 November while carrying out election campaigning. After the incident, allegations emerged that Sazzad continued to control his criminal network over the phone from prison.

Following the killing, Sazzad was transferred to Rajshahi Jail on 14 November, while Tamanna was shifted to Feni District Jail on 18 November. Sazzad had earlier been held at Chattogram Central Jail after being arrested in Bashundhara City in Dhaka.

Tamanna had earlier allegedly threatened that Babla would be dealt with after Sazzad was handed over to police. A few days later, Babla was shot dead in public.