The High Court has granted interim bail to Dhaka University law professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

A bench of Justice K. M. Rasheduzzaman Raja and Justice Rezaul Karim issued the bail order along with a rule today, Monday, after hearing Karzon’s petition. He filed the application last week after failing to obtain bail from the lower court.

During the hearing, Karzon was represented by lawyers Sheikh Ali Ahmed Khokon and Md. Anisuzzaman. Deputy Attorney General Sultana Akter Ruby appeared for the state.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Sheikh Ali Ahmed Khokon said that the High Court granted his client six months of interim bail, meaning there is currently no legal barrier to his release.

The case in question was filed on the night of 28 August—more than 12 hours after Karzon, former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, journalist Manjurul Alam, and 16 others were detained. Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Amirul Islam lodged the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Earlier on the morning of 28 August, Latif Siddique, Hafizur Rahman, and others had gone to the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) to attend a roundtable organized by “Manch 71” on “The Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh.” Although Dr. Kamal Hossain was announced as chief guest, he did not attend. The event, scheduled for 10 a.m., began an hour late.

Karzon delivered the opening speech. Moments after he finished, a group entered the venue chanting slogans such as “Let July’s spirit rise again,” “Arrest the League,” and others. They tore down the event banner and surrounded the participants. Police arrived around 12:15 p.m., after which the protesters handed over at least 16 people—including Siddique, Karzon, and Alam—to law enforcement.

On 6 November, the High Court had granted interim bail to Latif Siddique and Manjurul Alam in the same case. The state appealed to the Appellate Division, which dismissed the petitions on 10 November, effectively upholding their bail.

Karzon’s lawyer argued that the charges brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act were not supported by the allegations in the FIR. He noted that Karzon was not an organizer of the program, that the Appellate Division had already upheld bail for two co-accused, and that as a university professor, Karzon had no involvement in any conspiracy against the state. These were the grounds on which bail was sought.