Ex-soldiers get bail in Hifazat cases

A Dhaka court on Thursday granted bail to 12 former army officers in two cases related to violence unleashed by the radical Hifazat-e-Islam in Kanchpur area.

These army officials were named in the cases filed by Sonargaon Police.

A two-judge bench of justices Salma Masud Chowdhury and Mohammad Jahangir Hossain granted one month's bail to all the 12 former military officials.

They are retired Colonels Delwar Hossain, Nizamuddin, Nazrul Islam, retired Lieutenant Colonels Foizur Rahman, Ferdous, Fariduddin Ahmed, retired Majors Ayubur Rahman Saniul Haque, Yusuf Junaid, Mahbubul Alam, retired Captain Rahmatullah and Bashir Ahmed.

Manzil Morshed represented the 12 in the hearing. Deputy Attorney General Khandker Diliruzzaman represented state.

On May 6, a day after their Motijheel rally, Hifazat-e-Islam clashed with police and paramilitary Border Guard Battalion (BGB) in Kanchpur area after being forced out of the capital.

There were 19 casualties including some policemen during the mayhem.

The 12 former army officers were implicated with the violence.

Later Manzil Morshed told bdnews24.com that the 12 were all officials of Opex Group.

“They have nothing to do with Hifazat-e-Islam,” claimed Morshed." They were framed because they had problems with the local police."