The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the government to explain why the detention of four BNP leaders would not be deemed as illegal.
The court also asked the government to explain within four weeks why action should not be taken against law enforcers involved in the detention.
Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the orders after BNP Vice-Chairman M Hafizuddin Ahmed challenged the detention in a writ petition on March 29.
The home secretary, the inspector general of police and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner have been made respondents to the rule, according to a bdnews24 report.
Law-enforcement agencies have arrested BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Swechchhasebak Dal President Shafiul Bari and President of JCD’s Dhaka North Unit SM Mizanur Rahman and Vice President of the same unit Jakir Hossain Milon in separate cases over violence during BNP-sponsored anti-government protests.
After Milon had died in police custody, the BNP alleged the law enforcers had ‘tortured the JCD leader to death’.
Senior BNP leader and lawyer Moudud Ahmed, who argued for the petitioner in the hearing, said, “The Appellate Division earlier in a verdict specified how an arrest has to be made and how a person should be remanded. These are mandatory for everyone in the administration.”
“But the arrests of these four have been made flouting the law and the Supreme Court directives,” the former law minister said.
He said the High Court set Aug 1 for the next hearing.
