Bangladesh's ex-chief justice ABM Khairul Haque freed after High Court grants bail in all cases
Former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque has been granted bail in all five cases filed against him. The High Court's latest decision on March 14 followed an earlier ruling on March 11, which paved the way for his release from jail. His legal team had argued for bail on grounds of his advanced age and deteriorating health.
Justice Khairul Haque was arrested on July 24, 2025, in connection with multiple cases. One of these involved a July mass uprising murder charge, filed on July 6, 2025, which named 467 individuals—including Haque—and an additional 1,000 to 2,000 unnamed persons. His initial bail petition was rejected on September 16, 2025.
The defence repeatedly emphasised his poor health and age during hearings. The High Court later noted that prolonged detention without a police report raised serious human rights concerns. Most of the prosecution's cases centred on an alleged inconsistency in a judgement previously written by Haque. On March 11, the High Court granted bail in one of the five cases, clearing the path for his potential release. This was followed by a broader ruling on March 14, extending bail to the remaining four cases. However, a separate police application seeking his arrest in another murder case remains pending. The government has since filed appeals against the bail orders, which are now before the Appellate Division for review.
With bail secured in all five cases, Justice Khairul Haque is no longer in custody. The government's appeals against his release are still under consideration by the higher court. Meanwhile, the separate police request for his arrest in an additional murder case has yet to be heard.
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