Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque released from jail

Former Chief Justice A. B. M. Khairul Haque has been released on bail after being incarcerated for more than a year. He was freed this Wednesday afternoon from Dhaka's Special Central Jail. Md. Jahangir Kabir, Additional Inspector General of Prisons (Addl. IGP Prisons) at the Prisons Headquarters, confirmed the information to Agamir Somoy.

The former Chief Justice's lawyer, Monayem Nabi Shahin, said, "After his release, he was taken to his own home. He will be admitted to a hospital for treatment today."

He was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police from his Dhanmondi residence on the morning of July 24 last year. He had been in jail ever since. Later, he was shown as arrested in a total of 9 cases, including charges of murder, corruption, and under the Explosives Act.

Among the cases were: the murder case of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kayum Ahad, students Md. Arif and Khabib in the Jatrabari police station area; two cases from Narayanganj's Fatullah and Bandar police stations; and cases accusing him of corruption and maliciously preparing illegal and forged verdicts as a judge. Additionally, there was a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, a case over the murder of garment worker Rubel in the Adabar police station area, and a case regarding the attack and shooting of protesters in the Banani police station area.

Through the legal process, on April 28, the Supreme Court's Appellate Division upheld his bail in five cases. On May 12, he received interim bail from the High Court in two more cases from Adabar and Jatrabari police stations, which was upheld by the Chamber Court on May 20. Finally, on May 30, after he obtained bail in the remaining cases from the High Court bench of Justice K. M. Zahid Sarwar Kajol and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher, the Supreme Court's Chamber Judge Court also upheld that. However, due to being shown as arrested in new cases, he had remained unable to be released until now.

A. B. M. Khairul Haque took office as the 19th Chief Justice of the country on September 30, 2010. He retired on May 17, 2011.