Former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque and economist professor Abul Barkat have been sharing same building as division 1 inmates of the Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj, on the outskirts of the capital.
Justice Khairul Haque, who was arrested on Thursday morning at his Dhanmondi residence in connection with a case relating to murder during the July uprising in 2024, was sent to jail at night of the same day.
Economist Professor Abul Barkat arrested earlier on July 11 in a corruption case was sent to the jail on the same day.
鈥楤oth Justice Khairul, professor Barakat and another high-profile retired officer have been sharing same room of the Champakoli building as division-1 inmates,鈥� a senior officer of the department of prison told 抖阴精品 on Saturday.
The prison officer said that Justice Khairul Haque鈥檚 two sons 鈥� Waliul Haque and Ashiq-Ul 聽Haque 鈥� and his sister Bilkis Banu met him at the jail gate in the morning.
He said that there are three to four cots in the room.
Ashiq told 抖阴精品 that his father is in good health. The family provided him with clothes, medicines, and dry food.
According to the police, Justice Khairul, 80, is the 44th accused in a murder case filed on July 6, 2025 with the Jatrabari police station. The case involves the death of Juba Dal leader Abdul Quiyyum, who was shot dead during the July 18, 2024 protests in Kajla area. The victim鈥檚 father, Md Alauddin, filed the case.
The case investigation officer requested the magistrate to keep Khairul in jail during the pre-trial stage, citing his influence and the risk from him to obstruct the investigation or incite unrest among students, the public, and political parties, if released on bail.
DB officials said that Khairul was also named in three other cases on criminal charges, including sedition, fraud, and judicial misconduct 鈥� particularly related to altering the verdict that declared the caretaker government system illegal in 2011.
One of the cases alleged that on May 10, 2011, while serving as the chief Justice, Khairul led an Appellate Division bench that, in an open court, stated that elections for the 10th and 11th parliaments could still be held under a caretaker government. However, in the final written verdict released on September 16, 2012 鈥� after his retirement 鈥� he allegedly changed the decision to declare that only elected lawmakers could form such a government.
Khairul is also the first former chief justice to have been arrested on criminal charges of verdict fraud and murder.
The Detective Branch arrested economist Abul Barkat, also a former chairman of state-owned Janata Bank, at Dhanmondi in a case filed by the ACC.
The ACC in February filed the lawsuit against 23 individuals, including Barkat, over the alleged embezzlement of over Tk聽297.34 crore in the name of AnonTex Group.
On July 23, a Dhaka Court remanded Barakat in the custody of ACC鈥檚 assistant director Shahajan Miraj, who is also the investigation officer of the case.
Shahajan told 抖阴精品 that Barakat would be taken to the ACC from the jail for interrogation this week.
