The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP standing-committee member M Saifur Rahman, Jamaat Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed were released yesterday from jail on bail in Baropukuria coalmine graft case.

Saifur Rahman, former finance minister was released from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) at about 6:00pm while Jamaat leaders, Nizami and Mojaheed were freed from Dhaka Central Jail at about 5:05pm.

Hundreds of party supporters thronged in front of the hospital and jail gates and greeted their freed leaders with flowers.

Meanwhile, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court (HC) decision granting three months' ad interim bail to BNP standing committee member and former law

minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed in two separate cases.

After emerging from the prison cell, Saifur Rahman told reporters that under no circumstances it is possible for BNP to take part in the elections on December 18.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed said his party is ready for elections but decision in this regard would be taken after discussion at party and alliance level.

The three influential leaders of four-party alliance surrendered to a special court following High Court orders on November 10 and the judge ordered them into jail. Saifur Rahman was taken to the prison cell of BSMMU on health ground. The three former ministers secured bail from the High Court on November 12. The court had granted them a two-month anticipatory bail. It had halted proceedings in the trial court for the period and asked the government to explain in four weeks why the case would not be set aside.

Earlier the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on February 26 this year accusing former prime Minister Khaleda Zia and nine of her former cabinet colleagues for causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding contract for operating the Barapukuria coal mine to a Chinese company abusing their power.

The principal accused, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, secured bail from the High Court in this and three other graft cases and came out of jail on September 11. The High Court also stayed further proceedings against her in this case.

In the meantime, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the High Court (HC) decision granting three months' ad interim bail to BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed in two separate cases.

After hearing the petitions before the full court, the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice M M Ruhul Amin vacated the chamber judge's decision by upholding the High Court orders.

A two-member High Court bench on September 8 issued the order of bail after hearing separate writ petitions challenging the legality of the cases.

The High Court also stayed the trial proceedings of the cases for three months and asked the authorities concerned to show cause why the cases would not be declared illegal and without lawful authority.

Moudud was accused of dodging tax and depositing money in different banks through FDR using several fake names.

Later, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division on provisional leave petitions brought by the government stayed the High Court order.