The High Court has granted bail to Tanya Khondokar, wife of Syed Ashfaqul Haque, former executive editor of the Daily Star, in the case of 'negligent death' of a domestic worker. Besides, the rule has been issued asking why Ashfaqul Haque will not be granted bail.
On Monday (April 22) a bench of the High Court division consisting of Rezaul Hasan and Justice Fahmida Quader gave this order.
Senior lawyer Md. Khurshid Alam Khan argued in favor of the bail petition. Attorney General Abu Mohammad (AM) represented the state.
After the hearing, Khurshid Alam told the media that it is a bailable offence. The ruling was issued seeking why Ashfaqul Haque should not be granted bail and Tania Khondokar was granted interim bail.
Earlier on March 21, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Assams Jaglul Hossain did not grant them bail.
On February 6, a teenage domestic worker died after falling from the ninth floor of a residential building in Mohammadpur of the capital. The 15-year-old girl named Preeti Oran used to work at the house of Syed Ashfaqul Haque, the former executive editor of the Daily Star, a resident of that building.
The case was filed against Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tanya Khondokar on January 7 by Lukesh Oran, the father of domestic help Preeti.
The suit alleges wrongful death under Section 304(a). Then they were arrested on January 6. On January 7, the court rejected the remand and bail pleas of the accused and ordered them to be sent to jail. The court ordered them to be interrogated at the jail gate for three days. Then on February 13, in view of the 10-day remand application, the court granted them a four-day remand. They were sent to jail after being remanded on February 18.
Syed Ashfaqul Haque was dismissed from the Daily Star on April 2 due to the incident.