Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the High Court verdict that granted bail to suspended Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury in the former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria murder case.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice SK Sinha passed the order after rejecting an appeal petition filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC bail.

On 6 September, an HC bench comprising Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah granted bail to Ariful Haque disposing of a rule issued by it on 9 August  asking the government to explain as to why Ariful Haque Chowdhury should not be granted bail in the case.

Earlier, the HC on 22 March granted bail to Ariful for 15 days on the grounds that his mother was ill and Ariful filed a bail petition after surrendering before a lower court as ordered by the HC.

Five people, including Kibria, were killed and 70 others injured in a grenade attack on a public rally of local Awami League at Baidder Bazar in Sadar upazila of Habiganj district on 27 January, 2005.

After the incident, Awami League leader Abdul Mozid Khan filed two cases-one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act-with Habiganj Police the following day.