Dhaka: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to explain his recent remarks on the judiciary.

A five-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed the order during a hearing on the petitions filed by Fakhrul seeking bail extension in three violence cases filed against him with Paltan Police Station in the capital.

The court fixed 22 February for passing orders on his petitions, directing the BNP leader to submit his explanations by the same date.

Lawyers Joynal Abedin, Sagir Hossain Lion and Rafiqul Haque stood for the defence while additional attorney general Murad Reza appeared for the state.

Talking to United News of Bangladesh, Lion said they have filed a ‘leave-to appeal’ petition against a High Court order granting Fakhrul bail for ‘limited time’ (three months) in the three case.

During the hearing, he said the court sought explanation from Fakhrul over his comments on the judiciary. ‘He’ll have to explain by 22 February. The court will also pass its order on his leave-to appeal petition the same day.’

Speaking at Sylhet city and district units’ BNP’s council in Sylhet on 7 February, Fakhrul had accused the government of controlling the judiciary. ‘All the democratic institutions have been destroyed in a planned way. There’s no democracy in the country and the judiciary is not independent.’  

The three cases were filed on 4, 5, and 6 January last year against Fakhrul and some other BNP leaders and activists in connection with vandalising and torching vehicles in the city during the BNP-led 20-Party’s violent movement.

The High Court granted him bail for three months in the three cases on his health ground on 24 November.  

On 7 January, the BNP leader filed the petitions with the SC seeking extension of the High Court order as the bail period expires on 23 February.