The High Court today granted anticipatory bail for six weeks to BNP’s Sherpur-3 candidate Md Mahmudul Haque Rubel and 39 others in a case filed over the killing of local Jamaat-e-Islami leader Maulana Rezaul Karim.

An HC bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah and Justice Faysal Hasan Arif passed the order following a petition filed by the accused seeking anticipatory bail. The petitioners appeared before the bench earlier in the day.

The court also directed the accused to surrender before the trial court concerned within six weeks in connection with the case.

Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, counsel for the accused, told reporters that his clients were not involved in the clash in which Rezaul Karim was allegedly killed. He said the accused had been implicated out of political vindictiveness because of their involvement in BNP politics.

Clashes and counter-chases broke out between supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP at Jhenaigati in Sherpur on the evening of January 28.

During the violence, Maulana Rezaul Karim, 40, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Sreebardi upazila unit, was injured and later died while being taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

A case was filed at Jhenaigati Police Station late Friday night (January 30) in connection with the death. The victim’s wife, Mosammat Marjia, 34, lodged the complaint.

The case names 234 people and lists a total of 734 accused.