DHAKA, 12 September 2007 — Bangladesh’s military-backed government yesterday eased more emergency rules imposed in January by allowing courts to grant bail to certain people caught up in an anti-graft drive.
Courts can now grant bail to close family members who were detained along with the main suspects arrested for corruption, a Home Ministry circular said.
The rules, imposed in January when an army-backed interim Cabinet stepped in after months of political violence and a state of emergency was declared, had initially barred anyone detained for corruption from seeking bail.
The amendment also allows the country’s special courts to conclude a graft trial in 90 days instead of 60, a Home Ministry official said.
The emergency government, which has vowed to clean up the country’s graft-ridden politics, has so far detained nearly 160 top politicians including two former prime ministers as part of a nationwide crackdown. Dozens of family members were detained as co-accused in the graft cases.
Fast-track courts set up to try the high-profile graft cases have sentenced several family members to between five and 32 years in jail for abetting corruption.
Talking to reporters in Dhaka, legal adviser to the interim government, Mainul Hosein, said similar laws were in force in many countries and the Bangladesh government would also enforce it.
Hosein said the government had to enact harsh laws to dispose of corruption cases quickly. The amendment to the laws have been made now considering the human aspect.
To a question, Hosein said those convicted under the law would be able to appeal in the High Court after the amendment.
In reply to a question, the adviser said if any party expects attendance of over 50 people it should seek permission from the authorities.
