The chamber judge of the Appellate Division on Thursday stayed High Court orders that granted bail to former Awami League minister Dipu Moni and former independent lawmaker and Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman in criminal cases.

Justice Md Rezaul Haque passed the orders following petitions filed by the state challenging the High Court’s decisions.

In Dipu Moni’s case, the chamber judge stayed a High Court order that had granted her ad-interim bail in an attempted murder case filed with Paltan police over violence surrounding a Bangladesh Nationalist Party rally on October 28, 2023.

The court also directed the High Court to hear and dispose of the rule asking why she should not be granted regular bail, according to her lawyer Md Ramzan Ali Sikder.

The High Court had granted her ad-interim bail and issued the rule on June 9.

Dipu Moni was arrested in Dhaka’s Baridhara area on August 19, 2024.

She is facing 38 criminal cases, including allegations of murder, crimes against humanity, corruption and incitement to violence.

Two of the cases are pending with the International Crimes Tribunal.

According to her lawyer, Dipu Moni has secured bail in some cases and obtained rules in several others.

However, the lawyer said that the latest order meant there was no immediate possibility of her release from jail.

In a separate matter, the chamber judge stayed High Court bail orders granted to lawyer Suman in cases filed with Adabor and Jatrabari police stations.

Suman was arrested in Dhaka’s Mirpur-6 area  midnight passed October 21, 2024.

Suman’ lawyer Liton Ahmed told New Age that a total of seven cases were later filed against the former independent Member of Parliament in Dhaka and Habiganj.

He said that High Court granted Suman bail in three cases— his bail in two cases remaining stayed and another upheld as the state challenged the HC orders.

Liton said the High Court awaited hearing of Suman’s bail prayer in four other cases.