Mahmudur Rahman Granted Bail in Joy Murder Plot Case

A court here today granted bail to Mahmudur Rahman, former acting editor of daily Amar Desh, in a case lodged over allegedly attempting to abduct and murder ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the US in 2015.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Ash Shams Zaglul Hossain passed the order after holding a hearing on the matter. "We have appealed against his conviction in the case today. The court accepted the appeal. Allowing a plea filed by the defence, the court later granted Mahmudur Rahman's bail," defence counsel Tanvir Ahammed Al Amin said.

The court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahabubul Haque on September 29 sent him to jail as he surrendered before the court and pleaded for bail. "Mahmudur Rahman was sent to jail as this court has no jurisdiction to allow him bail, considering the term of his sentence. The court, however, asked jail authorities to provide him with a division facility," defence counsel Syed Joynul Abedin Mesbah told BSS that day.

The court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur on August 17, 2023, convicted and sentenced five people including veteran journalist Shafik Rehman and Mahmudur Rahman to seven years imprisonment. The other convicts in the case are Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas) vice-president Mohammad Ullah Mamun, his son Rizvi Ahmed Caesar and Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, an expat businessman living in the US.

Mahmudur was tried in absentia.  Police on August 3, 2015, filed the case with Paltan Police Station and on February 19, 2018, filed a charge sheet against the five. A total of 12 witnesses including Joy testified in the case on different hearing dates.