Hannan Shah finds 'refuge' in hospital

Dhaka, Feb 14 (bdprem.com) – Outspoken BNP leader ASM Hannan Shah, who had spent on-off prison life in the last nine months, rushed to hospital after he was released from jail Thursday in the latest verdict by a Gazipur court. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser was admitted to a Mirpur hospital, but its name and precise location were withheld by bdprem.com for the sake of privacy on request. Hannan Shah left the court premises after signing a bond at 2.05pm and went to his home village in Kapasia, his personal assistant Babul Ahmed told bdprem.com. Later the BNP leader was admitted to hospital as he was "very ill", Babul said. During the hearing Thursday, Hannan Shah's lawyers alleged in court that the case filed against their client was politically motivated. Police arrested Hannan Wednesday night for a fourth time in less than nine months and within 24 hours of his release from jail a day before. Tejgaon police arrested him at his Mohakhali DOHS home shortly before 9.00pm Wednesday in connection with a case filed against him in Gazipur. The hearing on the case began immediately after he entered the courtroom of Gazipur additional chief judicial magistrate Md Saiful Islam Thursday. Hannan Shah had earlier been freed Tuesday night from Narayanganj jail on three-month interim bail. The High Court issued the bail order after Hannan Shah appealed for cancellation of a general diary filed against him with Fatullah Police Station. A police sub-inspector filed the general diary against him on allegations that Hannan Shah had led a rally of about 200 party workers in the port city. Fatullah police had arrested Hannan Shah on Feb 7 at the gate of Narayanganj jail shortly after he was released in connection with a separate case. The BNP leader had earlier been arrested, on Nov 7, over an incident of violence near the late president Ziaur Rahman's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, as BNP leaders marked National Revolution and Solidarity Day. He was first arrested on May 14, with his son Shah Rezaul Hannan, in a land grab case. The same day, a Gazipur court remanded the two for five days. They were freed on bail on July 22 from Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur after more than two months behind bars. On May 20, fisherman Haripada Barman filed a case with the same police station against the two for occupying a water body.