The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo was freed on bail yesterday evening after five months in jail.

Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons), said that Mintoo was freed after jail authorities received a High Court bail order in an extortion case against him.

"Mintoo has been freed as there are no other cases pending against him," he said.

Sons of the leading businessman and employees of his business firms received him at the gate of Dhaka Central Jail. Joint forces arrested Mintoo in a major anticorruption crackdown on May 29. When contacted, Mintoo said, "I hope my freedom will bring ease to ordinary businessmen. The economy will gain pace."

Joint forces arrested Mintoo in a major anticorruption crackdown on May 29.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka sent Mintoo to jail on June 4 after he was quizzed in remand for four days.

The High Court on August 7 granted bail to Mintoo and stayed his detention order. But he was not freed.

The High Court bench of Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury gave the order on a writ petition filed on behalf of Mintoo.

When the writ petition came up for hearing on August 6, the government sought more time.

Earlier, Abul Khayer Litu, a leading businessman and Chairman of Bengal Group was released on bail.