AL Leader Mintu granted bail over Ex-MP Anwar murder case

The High Court has granted interim bail to Saeedul Karim Mintu, general secretary of Jhenaidah district Awami League, in the case filed over the abduction and attempted murder of former MP Anwarul Azim Anar from Jhenaidah-4 constituency. Alongside this, the court issued a rule asking why permanent bail should not be granted to Mintu.

The bail was granted by a High Court bench consisting of Justice Md. Atowar Rahman and Justice Md. Ali Reza.

On Wednesday (June 4), defense lawyer Prashanta Kumar Karmakar confirmed the court’s decision.

Karmakar stated that Saeedul Karim Mintu’s name was not mentioned in the FIR, and he did not provide any confessional statement during court proceedings. Considering these facts, the court granted him interim bail. However, the court also issued a rule seeking explanation on why permanent bail should not be granted to him.

Earlier, on May 12 last year, Anwarul Azim Anar’s daughter, Mumtarin Ferdous, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka, accusing the abduction with intent to murder. Following the case, on June 11 last year, detective police (DB) arrested Saeedul Karim Mintu from Dhanmondi for questioning. After interrogation, he was formally arrested in connection with the case.

Subsequently, Shimul Bhuiyan (also known as Shihab/Fazl Mohammad Bhuiyan/Amanullah Saeed), Tanvir Bhuiyan, Silista Rahman, and Kazi Kamal Ahmed Babu, the district Awami League’s relief and social welfare secretary, were also arrested in connection with the case.

According to case documents and statements from lawyers, on May 12 last year, Anwarul Azim Anar traveled to India via the Gede border in Chuadanga from Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, citing medical treatment. He stayed at the home of a friend, Gopal Biswas, in Mandalpara Lane under Barahanagar police station in West Bengal. The next day, he left the house to see a doctor and subsequently went missing.

Five days later, on May 18, Gopal Biswas filed a general diary at Barahanagar police station regarding Anar’s disappearance. Despite extensive searches, the whereabouts of the three-term MP remained unknown.

On May 22, news surfaced that Anar had been murdered in a residential building named Sanjiva Gardens in New Town, Kolkata. Bloodstains were discovered inside flat BEU 56, but the body was never found.