Former BNP ministers Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed were released on bail yesterday in a case filed against them on charge of torching a vehicle on June 11.
First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka AHM Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan passed the order after police produced them before the court with a ten-day remand prayer.
Before starting the hearing the magistrate directed all lawyers and journalists, except five, to leave the courtroom. They forcibly re-entered the courtroom after a few minutes.
In the forwarding report, the investigation officer (IO) of the case mentioned that picketers had set fire to a vehicle as instructed by the two leaders.
However, the defence lawyers submitted petition for bail along with cancellation of the remand prayer, saying the case was part of a conspiracy to harass the opposition leaders.
After hearing both the sides, the magistrate cancelled the remand prayer and granted them bail in the case filed with Gulshan Police Station on June 11.
Following the order, former home minister and former water resources minister were released from the courtroom.
The same court on June 13 granted them bail in another case for setting fire to a vehicle on June 4 in the city's Mohakhali area.
The two were arrested in the capital last Sunday, during hartal hours.