Ex-CJ Khairul shown arrested in 2 more murder cases

Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque has been shown arrested in two separate murder cases related to the July Uprising filed with Jatrabari and Adabar police stations in Dhaka.

Following petitions filed by police, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamsed Alam today (30 March) granted the applications to show him arrested in the cases, confirmed state Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon.

In one case, Jatrabari Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Mahmudul Hasan, the investigating officer in the murder of student Md Arif, filed an application on 10 March to show Khairul arrested. In another case, Adabor Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Tipu Sultan filed a similar application on 29 April in connection with the murder of garment worker Rubel. The court had earlier set (30 March) for hearings on both applications in the presence of the accused.

Khairul Haque was brought to the custody cell of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court at around 9:30am and was later produced before the court around 11:45am under tight security.

Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of showing him arrested, while defence lawyer Monayem Nabi Shahin opposed the petitions. After hearing both sides, the court ordered to show him arrested in the two cases.

According to the petition, sufficient evidence has been found indicating the accused's direct and indirect involvement in the incident, and showing him arrested is necessary for a fair and proper investigation.

According to the case statement, clashes broke out between police and activists of the Awami League in the Boubazar Road area of Kutubkhali in Jatrabari on the afternoon of 19 July 2024 during the Students Against Discrimination movement. During the clash, Md Arif, a first-year Alim student of Lord Hardinge Senior Fazil Madrasa, was shot in the eye. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Following the incident, Arif's father Md Yusuf filed the case at Jatrabari Police Station on 26 August 2024.

In the other case, it is alleged that police and activists of Awami League and its affiliated bodies opened fire, leaving garment worker Md Rubel dead from bullet injuries. The case was filed on 22 August by Rubel's father, Rafiqul Islam.

During the hearing, the prosecution said former chief justice Khairul Haque is a named accused and alleged he supported Sheikh Hasina through partisan actions while in office, arguing that showing him arrested was necessary for the investigation.

Opposing the move, defence counsel Shahin said the accused had been granted bail in five cases on 5 March but was being kept in custody through additional cases. He also noted that Khairul, 81, has been in jail for nearly a year, seeking bail on his behalf.

The court, however, stated that the hearing was limited to the issue of arrest and not bail, and recorded the defence's bail plea while granting the applications.

It is noted that Khairul Haque was arrested by police from his residence in Dhanmondi on 24 July last year and has remained in custody since then.