The New Nation - Internet Edition

DU Correspondent

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Azizul Bari Helal was set free after 11 months languishing in jail while Bangladesh Chhatra League general secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton was released after 30 months.

Helal, who was arrested on charge of violating the Emergency Power Rules on August 24 last year, got release from central jail at 10:25am yesterday and Roton, who was arrested under emergency rule on January 16, 2006, from the prison cell of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital at about 4:00pm

JCD leaders and activists welcomed their chief at the jail gate. Later, he went to his Maghbazar residence. The High Court granted interim bail to Helal on Sunday following that he has been released yesterday.

The district chief judicial magistrate granted the bail petition of Roton on Tuesday but he was arrested from jail gate for the second time.

After releasing from jail, Roton came at the House No 32 of Dhanmondi and placed wreath at the memorial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman. Later, he went to his residence located at the DU campus.

Azizul Bari Helal demanded release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman and Tarique to send abroad for better treatment.

He also demanded release of those who were arrested on political grounds.

A series of intense campaign by JCD, student wing of BNP and BCL, student wing of Awami League, was held on the Dhaka University campus, which augmented the release of the two student leaders.

Following the pressure, Prof Faiz met Chief Adviser on Wednesday night, which accelerated the release of the detained student leaders.

Earlier, BCL activists held violent protest at the Registrar Building and broke the windowpanes of the building and destroyed three vehicles-two owned by DU teachers and one by an outsider.

Demanding release of Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman and sending Tarique abroad for treatment, JCD brought out a procession on the campus yesterday while BCL staged demonstration to press home their demand for permanent release of Sheikh Hasina and its general secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton.

Later, both organisations separately attempted to siege Home Ministry but police intercepted them near Dowel Chhattar and Gymnasium playground of the university.