Dhaka, Oct 08 (V7N): Former planning minister MA Mannan was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon by Sunamganj District and Sessions Judge Hemayet Uddin.

Mannan’s lawyer, Abdul Hamid, expressed satisfaction with the court's decision, citing Mannan's illness and age as key factors in securing bail.

The bail hearing, however, was not without drama. A dispute erupted between the lawyers of both sides during the morning session at 10:30 am. The plaintiff's lawyers argued that the hearing had been scheduled unusually early, claiming that the court date had been mistakenly set for Wednesday, leaving them unprepared. This led to a heated exchange, prompting the judge to temporarily exit the courtroom. The hearing resumed later in the day at 2:30 pm.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Masuk Alam, also highlighted that Mannan's bail request had been denied by a lower court on Tuesday. However, a "miscellaneous case" was filed that afternoon in the Senior District and Sessions Judge Court, resulting in Wednesday's bail hearing.

Mannan was arrested on September 19 from his residence in Shantiganj in connection with an attack that took place during a protest by Sunamganj students on August 4.

Mannan, a former bureaucrat, entered politics after retiring from public service in 2003. He won his first parliamentary seat in the 9th National Election in 2008. He went on to win seats again in 2014 and 2018, serving as state minister for Planning and later as planning minister. Although re-elected for a fourth consecutive term in January 2024, he was not part of the current cabinet but was appointed chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Planning.


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