Dhaka, May 13 (UNB) - Hearing on the bail petitions of opposition BNP and its alliance leaders by the third bench of the High Court will be held Sunday afternoon to settle Monday’s split orders by a HC bench on the bail prayers in connection with two cases filed over the recent hartal violence.
 
Barrister Moudud Ahmed said they appeared before the High Court at 11 am when Justice Mohammad Anwarul Haq fixed 2:30 pm for the hearing.
 
On May 10, Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain sent the bail petition to the third bench of the High Court since two judges of a division bench earlier passed split orders on the petitions on May 7.
 
On May 7, presiding judge Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury granted all the accused, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, ad-interim anticipatory bails till the submission of police reports in connection with the two cases, and issued a rule upon the government to explain why the accused should not be granted regular bails.
 
Differing with the presiding judge’s order, co-judge M Nazrul Islam Talukder asked all the accused-petitioners to surrender to the trial court for seeking bails within a week and also asked the police not to harass the accused in the mean time.
 
Tejgaon police filed a case against 44 leaders and activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance for torching a vehicle near the Prime Minister's Office during hartal on April 29.
 
On the same day, Shahbagh police lodged another case against 28 opposition leaders in connection with the bomb blasts on the secretariat compound, making Mirza Fakhrul the principal accused.