The Appellate Division has directed the authorities to return Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna's confiscated passport for three months.
The court has also ordered Manna to submit his passport to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court within three weeks of his return to Bangladesh.
An Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order on Monday (May 13) following a petition filed by Manna.
Advocate Md Idrisur Rahman moved for Manna while Additional Attorney General Murad Reza argued for the state.
Manna filed a petition on May 5 with the apex court seeking permission to receive his passport so that he can visit Canada.
On Aug 24, 2017 and Oct 11, 2018, the Supreme Court had asked the lower court to return his passport so that he could go abroad for treatment.
On Nov 28, 2016, the SC upheld a High Court order granting bail to the Nagarik Oikya convener in two cases, and also asked him to submit his passport to the lower court.
The two cases filed against him with Gulshan police station on Feb 24 and Mar 5, 2016 were on charges of provoking the army and sedition.
Manna had been granted bail in two cases and his passport was consigned by the court as a condition for bail.
The two cases were filed on Feb 24 and Mar 5, 2015 with the Gulshan police in Dhaka. Police arrested him on Feb 25 of the same year. Later he received bail.