Opposition figure freed in Bangladesh

The deadly blasts took place in packed cinemas

By Waliur Rahman BBC reporter in Dhaka

A prominent member of Bangladesh's main opposition Awami League party has been released from jail.

The High Court said the detention of Bahauddin Nasim was illegal and granted him bail.

Dozens of people were injured in the attacks

Mr Nasim was the private secretary to Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina until she lost general elections in October 2001.

The government had accused him of organising a procession in southern Bangladesh in an attempt to disrupt a visit by the current Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, who was then opposition leader.

Bombs

Hours earlier, the High Court ruled that the detention of another key opposition politician was illegal.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury was arrested last month after bomb explosions in four cinemas in the northern town of Mymensingh, in which at least 17 people died and more than 200 were injured.

No-one has admitted carrying out the bombings, which follow similar attacks in September.

The court ordered the authorities to release Mr Chowdhury within 24 hours if he faced no other charges.

Mr Chowdhury is the political secretary to Sheikh Hasina.

Similar orders were also passed by the court for the release of another leading member of the Awami League, Mukul Bose.

Arrests

Over the last two days, the High Court has also declared the detention of leading intellectuals Shahriar Kabir and Muntasir Mamun and opposition political activist Bahauddin Nasim illegal and ordered their release.

None of them has yet been freed from prison, as officials say the court orders have yet to reach the prisons concerned.

The High Court, however, dismissed a petition challenging the detention of popular singer Shuvro Dev.

He is being held on charges of helping a wanted criminal in his attempt to flee the country.

The man, widely known as Kala Faruq, was arrested at the airport and later died in police custody.