Economist Dr Abul Barkat Released from Prison

Dr Abul Barkat, a prominent economist and the former chairman of Janata Bank, has been released from prison after securing bail in a murder case. The case, registered at the New Market Police Station in the capital, pertains to the killing of a businessman named Abdul Wadud. Dr Barkat was officially released from custody on Saturday. Following his release, family members and close associates reported that his physical health had deteriorated significantly due to his prolonged incarceration. Consequently, he is currently receiving necessary medical treatment, and arrangements have been made to provide him with advanced medical care.

Legal Chronology and Court Proceedings

The judicial process leading to his release involved a series of hearings across different tiers of the metropolitan magistracy in Dhaka. On Tuesday, 16 June, a bail application filed on behalf of Dr Barkat was heard in the Court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman. Following the arguments presented by the defence, the court granted bail to the accused.

This decision came after a setback on the preceding day, Monday, 15 June, when the Court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate, Kamal Uddin, had rejected the initial bail plea in connection with the same murder case. The defence subsequently appealed against the rejection order in the higher metropolitan magisterial court, resulting in the successful bail order on Tuesday. Prior to these bail hearings, on Sunday, 14 June, the Court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate, Monirul Islam, had formally accepted a petition to show Dr Barkat arrested in the Abdul Wadud murder case.

Background of the Arrest

Dr Abul Barkat had been in custody since his arrest by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on 10 July of the previous year. Law enforcement officers apprehended him at approximately 11:30 pm from the Road 3 area of Dhanmondi in Dhaka. He is well-known nationally as a senior professor and former chairperson of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka, alongside his corporate governance role at the state-owned Janata Bank.

The sequence of events concerning the arrest, legal rulings, and ultimate release of Dr Abul Barkat is outlined in the chronological table below: