The High Court on Monday extended for a year the period of interim bail granted to Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s senior vice-chairperson Tarique Rahman in three cases — two of which were filed on the allegation of extortions and the other for evading tax.
The vacation bench of Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also granted interim bail for six months to eight leaders of BNP’s associated organizations in a case for killing a bus driver, Badar Ali Beg, after setting fire to a bus at Khilgaon on April 21, the day before a hartal called by the BNP-led alliance.
   Badar Ali was burned to death while he was asleep inside his bus.
Tarique’s bail was extended in the three cases in which the High Court on August 27, 2008 had granted him bail for six months. Later, the bail was extended on several occasions.
Of the cases, the extortion cases had been filed by two construction contractors in 2007 while officials of the National Board of Revenue in 2008 lodged the case on charge of evading tax.
On Monday, the vacation bench also extended for a year the period of stay order the High court had granted on August 27, 2008 in connection with the extortion cases in response to Tarique’s application.  
Tarique’s lawyer AM Mahbubuddin Khokan told reporters that a total of 15 cases had been filed against Tarique, who has been in London now for medical treatment.
‘Tarquie is now wanted in two cases,’ the lawyer said.    
The eight leaders who who have granted interim bail are : Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal general secretary Saiful Alam Nirab, Jatyotabadi Shecchashebok Dal president Habibunnabi Khan Sohel, its secretary general Mir Sarafat Ali Safu, Banglaesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Sultan Salauddin Tuku and general secretary Amirul Islam Khan, Dhaka University unit JCD convenor Abdul Matin, Shramik Dal leader Badal Hossain and Dhaka city north unit general secretary Kamal Anwar Ahmed.
All the eight had been rearrested at the gate of Kashimpur jail on June 15 as soon as they were freed from the jail after securing bail from the High Court in two cases for which they were arrested and sent to jail along with the some top leaders of BNP and its allied political parties.