A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted bail to former Janata Bank chairman Professor Abul Barkat in a murder case filed over the killing of businessman Abdul Wadud during the July 2024 mass uprising in the capital’s Nilkhet area, clearing the way for his release from jail.

Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate Md Mustafizur Rahman Khan granted the bail after a hearing.

Barkat’s lawyer, Mustafizur Rahman Khan, confirmed the development to New Age.

The court had denied Barkat’s bail petition on Monday and Barakat lawyer said that he would appeal against the order for rejecting his bail.

Earlier on Sunday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Monirul Islam allowed a police application to show Barkat arrested in the case and ordered that he be sent to jail.

During Monday’s hearing, senior lawyer Sara Hossain argued that police sought to show her client arrested in the fresh case on June 7 after jail authorities initiated steps for his release following a Supreme Court order that upheld his bail in a loan embezzlement case.

According to the prosecution, businessman Abdul Wadud was shot dead in Nilkhet area under New Market Police Station during the anti-discrimination student movement on July 19, 2024.

Wadud’s brother-in-law, Abdur Rob, filed the murder case with New Market Police Station on August 21, 2024, accusing 130 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader. Barkat was not named in the first information report.

Barkat was arrested on July 10, 2025. His bail plea was rejected by the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court on August 20, 2025.

The High Court granted him bail on May 11 this year in the loan embezzlement case, and the Appellate Division upheld the bail.