Charge framing hearing in arms case against Anisul Huq deferred to August 23
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
The court has deferred the charge framing hearing until Aug. 23 in the arms case filed against former Law Minister Anisul Huq under the Arms Act at Banani Police Station in the capital.
Dhaka Special Tribunal 4 Judge Moin Uddin Chowdhury set the new date on Wednesday. Golam Nabi, bench assistant of the court concerned, confirmed the matter.
Anisul Huq was produced before the court on Wednesday. Defense lawyer Md. Suman Hossain later filed a petition seeking to defer the charge framing hearing.
The petition said, “The senior lawyer engaged in this case has suddenly become seriously ill and is unable to appear before the court to conduct the hearing. Therefore, the defense urgently requires several days’ time. Otherwise, the defense will face irreparable harm.”
Following the petition, the court set a new date for the charge framing hearing.
According to the case, Anisul Huq is the owner of a pistol licensed in his name under Banani Police Station. The Ministry of Home Affairs suspended all firearm licenses issued for personal security between Jan. 6, 2009, and Aug. 5, 2024, and instructed license holders to surrender their firearms by Sept. 3, 2024. However, it is alleged that Anisul Huq neither surrendered his licensed firearm to the police station nor informed the police between Sept. 4, 2024, and May 5, 2025. It was also stated that no one was found when authorities visited his address, and no information regarding the firearm’s surrender was available. The allegations further state that no information was found indicating that he had purchased any ammunition.
In connection with the incident, Sub Inspector Md. Jane Alam Dulal of Banani Police Station filed the case on May 24 last year. After completing the investigation, Sub Inspector Md. Yadul Haque of Banani Police Station submitted the charge sheet against Anisul Huq on Aug. 29, 2025.
Earlier, following the fall of the Awami League government, police arrested Anisul Huq on Aug. 13, 2024, from the Sadarghat area of the capital while he was allegedly attempting to flee by waterway based on confidential information. He has remained in jail since then.
