Dhaka: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court cancelled the bail granted by High Court to BNP leader Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury Minar in the Phulgazi upazila council chairman Ekramul Haque killing case.

A four-member appellate division bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha issued the order on Sunday.

The SC bench also directed the judicial court to finish the case within six months.

Lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury was present during the hearing on behalf of Minar Chowdhury, while the prosecution lawyer was Mahbube Alam.

On 12 March, the court after conducting a hearing fixed the date for announcing the order.

Earlier, on 28 November, a court postponed Minar Chowdhury’s bail and sent the matter to Appellate Division’s regular bench for hearing.

On 24 March, the SC stayed the bail of BNP leader Mahtab Uddin for two weeks.

The four-member bench of the Appellate Division also ordered the authorities concerned to shift Minar from Birdem Hospital to BSMMU, and asked BSMMU vice-chancellor to submit a report on his health condition before the court within a week.

On 16 March 2015, the High Court granted bail to Minar for six weeks.

Ekram, president of Phulgazi upazila unit of Awami League, came under attack by miscreants in front of Bilasi Cinema Hall on 20 May 2014, on his way to Phulgazi upazila headquarters from his Masterpara residence in the Feni district town.

The miscreants intercepted his microbus and fired shots at him from a very close range and then set fire to the vehicle. They left the scene after confirming Ekram’s death on the spot.

Ekram’s brother Rezaul Haque Jasim filed a case against Minar and 35 unidentified people with Feni Model Police Station on 21 May.