Dhaka: The Appellate Division on Monday upheld the High Court’s order which granted bail for Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Asifa Ashrafi Papiya in separate sabotage cases.

A three-member bench of Appellate Division, headed by Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, passed the order in a hearing on the government’s plea against the HC order granting interim bail to Rizvi and Papiya for violence.

However, the apex court stayed the interim bail granted for Rizvi by the HC in two cases, said Rizvi’s Lawyer Sagir Hossain Leon after the hearing.

Advocate Joynul Abedin and Advocate Sagir Hossain Leon stood for the BNP leaders.

Earlier on 6 August, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court (HC) order that granted six months’ interim bail to BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in five cases.

On 7 July, the HC granted the bail to Rizvi in eight cases filed against him.

Of the eight cases, three were filed with Paltan police, while two with Jatrabari Police Station, and one each with Mirpur, Mohammadpur and Khilgaon police stations against Rizvi on charge of carrying out subversive activities, including vandalising and torching vehicles and hurling crude bombs

On 9 July, the Appellate Division upheld the HC bail granted to BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy in a case while that of Rizvi in four cases and Papiya in six of the nine cases.

The hearing on the appeal in the rest three cases against Papiya was adjourned until 16 August.