Govt against granting bail to criminals, not AL: Home Adviser

Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said that the government opposes granting bail to criminals—not the Awami League or its student wing.

He made the remarks in response to questions about the denial of parole for Bagherhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League president Juel Hasan Saddam following the death of his wife and nine-month-old child, during a media Q&A session following a briefing on agricultural matters at the Ministry of Agriculture in Dhaka on Sunday (January 25).

When journalists raised the issue of Juel Hasan Saddam’s parole, he repeatedly declined to answer, insisting, “I will not answer questions beyond agriculture.”

When reminded of his responsibility as Home Affairs Adviser, he said, “No, I will address that when required,” and later clarified, “It is not about bail within the Awami League or Chhatra League. The government is against granting bail to criminals.”

Chowdhury eventually left the briefing without commenting further on the controversial case, which has sparked widespread social and political debate.

The matter has drawn significant public attention after Saddam was denied parole despite the deaths in his immediate family, prompting journalists to seek clarification on the government’s stance.