Dhaka: The High Court on Thursday issued a rule asking Jatiya Party lawmaker Shawkat Ali Chowdhury to explain as to why the bail granted to him by the lower court in two cases filed over loan scam should not be cancelled.

An HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan passed the suo moto order while hearing a rule issued earlier regarding the bail of Bangladesh Commerce Bank’s former managing director Dr M Asaduzzaman and its former Bangshal branch manager Habibul Gani in the cases.

MP Shawkat Ali has been asked to reply to the rule within 10 days. The court also fixed December 7 for the next hearing.

M Sarwar Hossain stood for the bank while Advocate Abdul Baset Majumdar and Advocate Ziaur Rahman argued for the two former bank officials and Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC). 

The ACC filed the two cases against nine people, including MP Shawkat, with Bangshal Police Station on May 8 and May 10 last for allegedly misappropriating nearly Tk 93.37 crore through 29 LCs and Tk 82.89 lakh through two LCs.

MP Shawkat was granted bail by the lower courts in the two cases on September 8 and October 4 respectively.

Talking to reporters, Khurshid Alam said the court issued the rule when the lawyers argued that Asaduzzaman and Habibul can get bail as the mastermind of the scam, MP Shawkat, has been at large on bail.