Dhaka: The High Court fixed 24 May for the hearing on a bail petition of BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas in vandalism and arson cases filed with Paltan and Motijheel polices.

A single bench of Justice Mohammad Ruhul Quddus issued the order as Abbas’s counsels appealed for time petition. 

On behalf of Abbas, his lawyer Ehsanur Rahman and Ragib Rauf Chowdhury were present during the hearing while deputy attorney general Bashir Ullah was the prosecution’s lawyer.  

Ehsanur Rahman said, ‘Our senior lawyers cannot appear in the hearing as they are busy with bar council election. We appealed for time. The court has rescheduled the hearing on 24 May.’  

On 27 April, HC benches fixed 4 May for the bail hearing of Abbas after granting his time petition.

A single bench was formed on 26 April as HC benches issued a divided order on an anticipatory bail petition of Mirza Abbas.

On 6 March 2014, ACC filed a case with Shahbagh police against the then housing and public works minister Mirza Abbas over graft allegation in plot allotment.

Earlier, on 16 April, Abbas’ lawyer Mahbubuddin Khokon appealed for the hearing seeking bail in the case.

On 15 April High Court issued a divided order on the anticipatory bail petition of Mirza Abbas.

Senior judge Kamrul Islam Siddique granted a three week anticipatory bail to Mirza Abbas.

However, junior judge Gobinda Chandra rejected the bail plea of the BNP leader.

Earlier, on 13 April, Mirza Abbas filed petitions with the High Court seeking interim bail in three cases. On 28 December 2014, police filed a case against the BNP standing committee member, Mirza Abbas, with Paltan Police Station on charges of setting fire to a bus and bombing.

On 4 January this year, Motijheel police filed another case against Abbas under the Explosive Substances Act.

Although Abbas was not named in the FIR, he filed the bail plea in the case fearing arrest.

The affidavit he submitted to the Election Commission with the nomination paper shows there are 37 criminal cases against him and he had been accused in 24 cases in the past.