The Appellate Division’s Chamber Court has upheld a series of bail orders granted to former Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy in multiple criminal cases, effectively removing all remaining legal barriers to her release from custody, according to her legal counsel.
On Sunday, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division confirmed the validity of bail previously granted by the lower courts in two additional cases filed with Siddhirganj Police Station. With this latest order, bail remains in force across a total of 12 separate cases against the former mayor.
Her lawyers stated that since bail has now been upheld in all pending cases, there is no longer any legal impediment to her release. The cases stem largely from incidents linked to anti-discrimination protests, and include allegations such as murder, attempted murder, obstruction of government duties, and violent attacks.
Earlier this month, on May 10, the Appellate Division had already upheld bail granted by the High Court Division in 10 separate cases connected to the same wave of protest-related violence. That decision had provided significant legal relief to Ivy, consolidating her interim freedom in the majority of the proceedings.
She was initially shown arrested in November last year in five cases, four of which involved murder charges while one included allegations of assaulting police officers and obstructing official duties. The High Court subsequently granted her bail in those matters.
However, the State challenged several of those bail orders before the Appellate Division. The Chamber Court initially stayed the bail orders, but later referred the matter for full hearings. After detailed proceedings, the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division upheld bail in 10 cases.
In the meantime, she was also shown arrested in two additional cases, in which the High Court again granted bail. The latest Chamber Court ruling has now confirmed those bail orders as well.
Timeline of key legal developments
| Period | Event | Judicial Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| November last year | Arrest shown in five cases | Bail later granted by High Court Division |
| February | Bail granted in five additional cases | High Court Division order |
| March | State appeal against bail orders | Interim stay issued by Chamber Court |
| May 10 | Hearing on 10 cases | Bail upheld by Appellate Division |
| May 17 | Two additional cases reviewed | Bail confirmed by Chamber Court |
Legal analysts suggest that the successive rulings have significantly reduced the procedural complexity surrounding the cases against Selina Hayat Ivy. With bail now confirmed in all 12 matters, her legal status has effectively normalised, allowing her freedom of movement while the cases proceed through the judicial system.