The Supreme Court has upheld the High Court orders granting six-month bail to former inspectors general of police (IGP) Shahudul Haque and Asharaful Huda in the August 21 grenade attack case.

Justice Md Nuruzzaman, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division passed ‘no order’ on the state’s petition seeking stay on the HC orders.

There’s no bar for their release now, his counsels told the media after the hearing.

Lawyers Arshadur Rauf and Jamilur Rahman moved for the defendants while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Masud Hasan Chowdhury represented the state.

On Monday (Jan 21), the High Court has granted bail to the two former police officials who were handed to two years jail term in the Aug 21 grenade attack case.

The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty passed the order accepting their appeal and bail pleas.

Assistant Attorney General Md Ali Zinnah, who opposed the bail plea in the hearing said on Monday that the court accepted their petitions on the argument that the defendants already served 14 months of their two-year sentences.

Nineteen people, including former minister of state Lutfozzaman Babar was sentenced to death, while Tarique Rahman, son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, was handed life in prison along with 18 others by a Dhaka court on Oct 10.

The attack on Aug 21, 2004, was carried out on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue during the BNP-Jamaat’s regime.

The then-leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina was the leading speaker at the rally.

She was stepping off the truck, which was being used as a dais when the assailants hurled the grenades into the rally.

Among the 24 people killed in the blasts was Bangladesh Mohila Awami League president Ivy Rahman, wife of senior Awami League leader Zillur Rahman, who was later to be elected the country’s president. The attack left Sheikh Hasina with hearing problems.

Late Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif was among the over 500 people injured in the explosions.