Dhaka: The High Court on Monday granted a six-month interim bail to suspended Sylhet city mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and suspended Habiganj municipality mayor GK Gaus each in a case filed for killing a Jubo League man in Sunamganj in 2004.

An HC bench comprising Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan passed the order after hearing their separate bail petitions.

Barrister Mainul Hosein, Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate Masud Rana and Advocate Mostafizur Rahman stood for the detained mayors while deputy attorney general Dr M Bashirullah represented the state.

Talking to reporters, Masud Rana said there is no legal bar to the release of Ariful from jail as he secured bail in all the cases filed against him.

He, however, said GK Gaus cannot get released right now as he is yet to secure bail in another case.

A Jubo League activist was killed and 29 others were injured as miscreants hurled a bomb at a rally in Derai of Sunamganj on June 21, 2004.

Later, a case was filed against 13 people, including Ariful and GK Gaus, with Derai Police Station in this connection.