Habiganj: A Habiganj court on Sunday granted bail to suspended Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury in the case filed under the Explosives Substances Act, reports local news agency.

Habiganj District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Atabullah issued the order after hearing a bail petition filed by Ariful’s lawyer Manjur Uddin Ahmed in the morning.

With this, the way for the release of Ariful has been cleared as earlier he obtained bail in the former Finance Minister SAMS Kibria killing case also.

On 22 March, High Court granted bail to Ariful Haque Chowdhury for 15 days in the case for the killing of Kibria.

An HC division bench comprising Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo had granted the bail on the ground of illness of Ariful’s mother.

The court also asked him to surrender before the lower court on expiry of the bail.

Earlier, on a petition filed by Ariful with the HC seeking bail, the court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the suspended mayor will not be granted bail in the Kibria killing case.

Sylhet Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court on December 30, 2014 sent Ariful to jail after he appeared before it with a bail prayer in the cases.

Five people, including Kibria, were killed and 70 others injured in a grenade attack on a public rally of local Awami League at Baidder Bazar in Sadar upazila on 27 January, 2005.

Awami League leader Abdul Mazid Khan filed two cases—one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act—with the Habiganj Police Station the following day.

Assistant superintendent of CID Munshi Atique submitted a charge sheet against 10 BNP leaders and activists on 19 March, 2005.

On 20 June, 2011, CID senior assistant superintendent Rafiqul Islam submitted a supplementary charge sheet incorporating the names of 14 more people, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami leader Mufti Abdul Hannan following a naraji (non-confidence) petition filed by the plaintiff.

Upon an appeal by the complainant, the High Court on 5 May, 2006 stayed the proceedings of the cases.

Following another appeal by the complainant, the tribunal on 14 May, 2006 ordered further investigation into the cases.

After a fresh probe, Rafiqul submitted the first supplementary charge-sheet.

However, Asma Kibria, wife of the slain minister, filed a petition with a local court expressing no-confidence in the investigation.

The court then forwarded the case documents along with the petition to the tribunal concerned.

Later on 5 January, 2012, the tribunal ordered the CID to carry out further probe into the killing.