The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has stayed a High Court order granting bail to Shakil Ahmed, former head of news at Ekattor Television, and his wife Farzana Rupa, the television鈥檚 principal correspondent, in connection with the killing of garment worker Rubel during the July-August 2024 student-led mass uprising.
Justice Md Rezaul Haque, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, issued the stay order on Tuesday after a petition filed by the state challenging the High Court鈥檚 January 20 bail order. Additional attorney general Aneek R Haque prayed for staying the bail order.
The chamber judge also referred the state鈥檚 petition to the full bench of the Appellate Division for a detailed hearing on February 10, the couple鈥檚 lawyer Syed Mamun Mahbub confirmed.
He said that the High Court bail order for Shakil and Farzana would remain stayed until further orders from the Appellate Division.
Shakil and Farzana were arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 21, 2024, while attempting to leave the country.
A Dhaka court sent Shakil and Farzana to jail on August 31, 2024, after implicating them in the Rubel murder case.
Rubel鈥檚 father Rafiqul Islam filed the case on August 22, 2024, with the Adabar police station, naming deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, and 146 others as accused.
According to the case statement, Rubel was among hundreds of protesting students attacked on Ring Road in Dhaka鈥檚 Adabar area on August 5, 2024.
He sustained critical bullet wounds and died two days later.