DHAKA, June 16, 2026 (BSS) - A court here today granted bail to economist and former chairman of the state-owned Janata Bank PLC Prof Abul Barkat in a case lodged over the murder of trader Abdul Wadud in the city's New Market area during 2024 July Mass Uprising.

Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mostafizur Rahman passed the order, allowing Barkat bail on a Taka five thousand bond.

The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Monirul Islam showed Prof Barkat arrested in the case on June 14. Defence counsel pleaded for his bail on June 15, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Kamal Uddin, however, turned the plea down.

Prof Abul Barkat was arrested from the city's Dhanmandi area on July 10, 2025, and is in jail since then.

According to the case documents, Wadud was shot and killed in the Nilkhet area under New Market Police Station on July 19, 2024. His brother-in-law Abdur Rob filed the case against 130 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader.