The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday issued rules asking the government to show causes why the orders of detention against former works minister Mirza Abbas and ex-state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar "should not be declared illegal".

One High Court bench gave the government eight days to explain Mirza' s detention while another granted 10 days for explanation on Babar's case.

The bench comprising Justice Triq ul Hakim and Justice Farah Mahbub issued the rule in the former case following a petition filed by Abbas challenging the validity of the detention order.

On October 30, the government held back Abbas in prison by issuing a one-month detention order against him just before his release from jail on bail in all the cases.

The home ministry issued the detention order following a general diary filed by a Special Superintendent of the Special Branch (SB) of police.

The detention order referred to an SB report apprehending that 'if Abbas is released from jail, law-and-order situation might deteriorate'.

Abbas was arrested on February 25 last year when he went to the Anti-Corruption Commission office at Segunbagicha to submit his wealth statement under a purge launched by the interim regime following the 1/11 changeover.

Abbas, also a joint secretary general of BNP, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for tax evasion. He recently secured bail from the High Court in all the graft cases filed against him.

Another HC division bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui, following a petition filed by former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar challenging his detention order, also issued an identical rule upon the government.

"The rule is made returnable in ten days," says the court order. On October 26, Babar was served a 30-day detention order while he was about to be set free on bail from Dhaka Central Jail.

The home ministry that he had once presided over issued the detention order following a General Diary (GD) filed with Gulshan police station that said it would be a 'violation of the Emergency Power Rules if he is set free'.

Arrested from his Gulshan residence with illegal firearms on May 28 last year amid a crackdown on the politicians, Babar was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment in an arms case.

On October 16, the High Court, upon pending appeal against verdict of the lower court, granted Babar interim bail for 6 months on health grounds.