Ex-Minister Latif Siddiqui granted bail

The High Court has granted bail to former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka.

The bench of Justice A S M Abdul Mobin and Justice Sagir Hossain passed the order on Thursday (November 6).

Following the order, there is no legal barrier to his release, said his lawyer Z. I. Khan Panna.

Assistant Attorneys General Ibrahim Khalil and Al Amin Hossain represented the state. Ibrahim Khalil said the state would appeal against the bail order in the Appellate Division.

Earlier, on August 29, a Dhaka court sent Latif Siddiqui, Dhaka University professor Karzon, and 14 others to jail in the same case. The order was passed by Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque.

According to the case statement, on August 28, Latif Siddiqui delivered an “anti-government and conspiratorial” speech during a roundtable meeting held under the banner of Mancha 71 at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, allegedly inciting others to overthrow the interim government through armed struggle.

Police later detained 16 participants from the event.

Police claimed that Mancha 71, which surfaced on August 5, was using its platform to plot against the government under the pretext of protecting the true history of the Liberation War.