Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme Court has directed lower courts not to grant bail to people convicted in any case under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

The full bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin delivered the ruling last evening on an appeal by the powerful Anti-Corruption Commission against a High Court order granting bail to Sigma Huda and Mir Helaluddin. The two were convicted on graft charges.

A total of 207 people, including former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina of Awami League and BNP chief Khaleda Zia, have been arrested under a massive anti-graft drive launched by the military-backed interim government which was formed after imposition of emergency in January last year.

The court said when an appeal in a corruption case under the EPR is referred to the appellate court, no bail can be granted to the convict until disposal of the petition.

It, however, said the appellate court may grant bail in cases of a short sentence, if the appellant is ill or if the appeal could not be heard in the stipulated 90 days for no fault of the appellant.

A High Court bench had on December 13 last year granted bail to Huda and Mir Helaluddin, son of a detained former minister.

Huda, wife of detained former communication minister Nazmul Huda of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was jailed for three years on August 27 last year while Helaluddin was jailed on July 4 for three years.
Source : PTI