Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque cannot leave country without court permission

The Appellate Division has ordered that former Chief Justice A. B. M. Khairul Haque cannot leave the country without the permission of the court. The directive was issued in a written order by the Appellate Division, led by the Chief Justice, on Monday (August 17). However, his lawyer, Advocate Motahar Hossain Sazu, stated that since his bail has been upheld, he can be released from prison at any time.

Meanwhile, the Appellate Division's Chamber Judge Court has upheld the bail granted by the High Court in an attempted murder and explosives control case filed at Banani police station in the capital during the July mass uprising. Following the hearing of an appeal filed by the state seeking to stay the High Court's bail, the Chamber Judge Court, led by Appellate Division Justice Md. Rezaul Haque, issued a "no order" verdict.

Senior lawyer Motahar Hossain Sazu argued for Khairul Haque in court, assisted by lawyers Monayem Nabi Shaheen and others. His lawyers stated that with the bail upheld, there are no longer any legal barriers to the former Chief Justice's release from prison.

Earlier on August 10, the High Court granted bail to Khairul Haque in the case filed under the Banani police station for attempted murder and explosives control during the July mass uprising. The High Court bench of Justice K. M. Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher granted him bail along with a rule.

Khairul Haque was arrested on July 24, 2025, from his residence in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. He was subsequently shown arrested in a murder case involving Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad during the July mass uprising in Jatrabari, followed by arrests shown in several other cases.

As a result of the latest order from the Appellate Division, while the path to his bail in these cases has been cleared, the restriction prohibiting him from leaving the country without court permission remains in effect.