Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman gets bail in Nayeemul Abrar’s death case

A Dhaka court on Monday granted bail to Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman in a case filed over the death of Dhaka Residential Model College student Nayeemul Abrar Rahat.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaisarul Islam passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by his lawyer.

The Prothom Alo editor filed the petition in the morning as the High Court’s four-week anticipatory bail expired today (Monday), said his lawyer Ehsanul Haque Somaji.

Earlier on January 16, the Dhaka court issued a warrant for the arrest of Matiur, Associate Editor Anisul Hoque and seven other people in the case.

Later on January 20, the HC granted Matiur a four-week anticipatory bail.

The nine accused are – Anisul, Kabir Bakul, Shubashish Pramanik Shuvo, Mohitul Alam Pavel, Shahporan Tushar, Jasim Uddin Opu, Mosharraf Hossain, Sujon and Kamrul Haider.

Ninth-grader Abrar died after being electrocuted behind the stage at an event organised by Kishor Alo, a publication of Prothom Alo, at Dhaka Residential Model College on November 1.

His father Mujibur Rahman filed the case with Dhaka court on November 6. The plaintiff alleged that the organisers had negligence in ensuring safety regarding electric wires at the venue, which cost the life of his son.

He said Abrar was taken to Universal Medical College Hospital at Mohakhali although Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital was close to the venue.

He accused Kishor Alo and the school authorities of concealing information about his son’s death and continuing the programme despite the tragic incident.