The High Court on Tuesday granted six months' ad-interim bail to former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque in two murder cases filed in connection with the incidents during the July Uprising period, clearing the way for his walk out from jail.
Of the two murder cases, one case was filed with Jatrabari Police Station on charge of killing one Arif while the other with Adabor Police Station on charge of killing one Rubel.
The HC bench also issued two separate rules asking the government to explain why Khairul should not be granted permanent bail in the cases.
The HC bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the orders following two separate petitions filed by Khairul seeking bail in the cases.
There is no legal bar for Khairul to get released from Keraniganj jail following the HC orders of bail, Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju, one of the counsels for Khairul Haque, said.
Senior lawyers Md Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury and Motaher Hossain Sazu and Advocate Jahangir Hossain appeared for Khairul, while Additional Attorney General Md Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan represented the state during hearing of the bail petitions.
Nearly a year after the fall of the Awami League government, Khairul was arrested by police on July 24 in 2025 from his residence in Dhanmondi in Dhaka. He was later shown arrested in multiple cases, including murder during the July movement, allegations of verdict manipulation in the caretaker government case, and cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). He has remained in prison since his arrest.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on April 28 upheld the High Court verdicts that earlier granted him bail in five other cases.
On March 8, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Khairul Alam and Justice Md Sagir Hossain granted bail in four cases after issuing a rule. He also secured bail in an ACC case on March 11. The state later filed an appeal seeking a stay on those bail orders.
Subsequently, he was shown arrested in two more cases at the lower court level.
Khairul Haque was appointed the 19th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on September 27, 2010, and his appointment took effect on September 30 the same year. He retired on May 17, 2011, and later served as Chairman of the Law Commission on three occasions.
