TDS Desk:

The High Court has granted interim bail to 23 individuals, including Syed Wasiful Islam, the senior leader of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi’s followers, in connection with the clash between two factions of Tabligh Jamaat at the Ijtema grounds, which resulted in casualties. Following a hearing on their petition, a High Court bench comprising Justice Mohammad Mahbub-ul-Islam and Justice Md Hamidul Rahman issued the order on Wednesday.

Senior lawyer Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun represented the petitioners in court.

The lawyer later said that most of the accused, including Syed Wasiful Islam, the senior leader of the Saad faction, are over 80 years old. All the accused in the case are elderly and respected members of society. Among them are former secretaries, university professors, and individuals who have held significant positions. The court has granted interim bail to 23 of them until the police submit their report.

On December 24 last year, the High Court rejected the bail petitions of Syed Wasiful Islam and 25 others in this case. That order was given by a High Court bench comprising Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam and Justice Yusuf Abdullah Suman.

The case was filed on December 19 last year, following clashes and casualties on the night of December 17 at the Tongi Ijtema grounds.

The plaintiff, SM Alam Hossain, a follower of Maulana Zubair, lodged the case at Tongi West Police Station. He is from Gaital village in Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila and the son of deceased SM Mokhtar Hossain. He is also a member of the Alami Shura of Kishoreganj district.

The case named 29 individuals as accused, along with several hundred unidentified individuals. Notable accused include Syed Wasiful Islam, his son Osama Islam Anu, Abdullah Mansur, Kazi Erteja Hasan, Muazz Bin Noor, Zia Bin Kashem, Azimuddin, Anwar Abdullah, and Shafiullah, among others. All the accused hold various significant positions among the followers of Maulana Saad.