The High Court on Monday directed the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka to accept, hear and dispose of the bail petitions of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in nine cases. 

The HC also issued a rule, asking the state to explain as to why the CMM Court's refusal to accept and hear the bail petitions of Fakhrul should not be declared illegal. 

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order following a writ petition filed challenging the legality of a Dhaka CMM Court's refusal to accept the nine bail petitions of Fakhrul in nine separate cases. 

Mirza Fakhrul was made accused in the nine cases, however, he has not been shown arrested yet in the case. As a result, the CMM court refused to entertain the bail petitions in connection with the cases. Fakhrul's wife Rahat Ara Begum submitted the petition to the HC on December 14 through lawyers, saying that a Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka has violated the fundamental rights of her husband by refusing to accept his bail petitions for hearing on different dates. 

In the petition, she also appealed to the HC to direct the court to entertain the bail petitions and to hold hearing for their disposal, said lawyer Sagir Hossain Leon who appeared in the court proceedings on behalf of Mirza Fakhrul. 

The lawyers said the Metropolitan Magistrate's Court concerned has made the refusal on December 12 and 13 after the lawyers placed those before that court for hearing.

Sagir said the nine cases were filed with Paltan and Ramna police stations over violence centring BNP's rally in the capital on October 28. The cases were filed on charges of killing a police constable, illegal gathering on the street, vandalising vehicles, rioting, snatching a police weapon, damaging properties, assaulting policemen and preventing them from discharging their duties.

On October 29, Fakhrul was arrested in connection with the case filed with Ramna Police Station over the attack on the residence of the Chief Justice during a clash with police on October 28. 

Senior lawyer Zainul Abedin also appeared for the writ petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.