The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The release of BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman now depends on only one court order on Bashundhara bribery suit to save the accused in Sabbir murder case as he yesterday secured bail in five cases, including three extortion cases yesterday.

The High Court Bench comprising Justice Sharif Uddin Chakladar and Justice Imdadul Haque Azad yesterday granted him bail for six months in the five extortion cases.

The bench also stayed the proceedings of the cases and issued separate rules upon the Anti-Corruption Commission to explain why Tarique Rahman should not be granted regular bail. With the latest bail orders, Tarique Rahman, who was arrested on March 7 last year by the army-led joint forces from her mother's Dhaka Cantonment residence, received bail in a total of 12 criminal cases, including corruption and extortion, as things on the judicial front of the current purge kept developing fast.

According to sources, if Tarique is granted bail in the Bashundhara bribery case, which is likely to be heard today, it will be the last bar to be lifted for Tarique to move out to freedom.

Meanwhile, Adviser for Home Affairs Maj Gen (Retd) MA Matin yesterday told reporters that there is no legal bar to send Tarique Rahman, also the elder son of detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, abroad for treatment. He also indicated that it might be a matter of moments now.

According to Tarique's lawyers, a total of 13 cases were filed against him after the 1/11 changeover. Of these, a case has been settled by the court so far. He has got bail in 11 others.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, a lawyer for Tarique, told reporters that time is marking for his client's release from jail. "Only one bail order is required for his release from jail," he said.

The Home Affairs Adviser told reporters that the process of releasing Tarique Rahman for his better treatment abroad has advanced. "The process for the release of Tarique Rahman has made progress, but it is not possible to say in detail about the moment," he said.

Barrister Khokan said a leave-to-appeal petition seeking the bail of Tarique Rahman in a Tk 21-crore bribery case over the murder of a Bashundhara director is pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Tarique Rahman is sick and being treated at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) medical hospital prison cell.