Ex-chief justice Khairul Haque denied bail in murder case

A Dhaka court has denied bail to former chief justice and ex-chairman of the Law Commission, ABM Khairul Haque, in a murder case filed over the death of a Jubo Dal activist in the capital's Jatrabari area last year.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Masum Mia passed the order today (31 July) after the hearing, according to court sources.

Advocate Monayem Nabi Shahin, counsel for Khairul Haque, argued during the hearing that the "case was filed to harass" his client.

He mentioned that the incident took place on 18 July last year and Khairul was arrested 6 July this year, almost after a year.

"There is no valid explanation as to why the case was filed so long after the incident," he added.

Advocate Monayem also said that Khairul, who retired from the post of chief justice on 17 June 2011, was under police protection till last year's 5 August and on the day of the incident, he returned to his residence and did not visit Jatrabri area, where the incident took place.

Earlier, on 24 July, Khairul Haque was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence by the Detective Branch (DB) of police. He was sent to jail later that night.

On 30 July, he was placed on a seven-day remand in another case filed with Shahbagh Police Station, accusing him of delivering unlawful and politically motivated verdicts and fabricating fake court rulings during his tenure.

The murder case stems from the death of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad, who was shot dead on 18 July last year, during the July Uprising in the Kajla area of Jatrabari.

The victim's father, Alauddin, filed the case on 6 July with Jatrabari Police Station, naming 467 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.