The High Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail for four months to eight Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists including the party's acting secretary general ATM Azharul Islam in a case.

The case was filed against them on charge of obstructing policemen in discharge of their duty.

An HC bench of Justice Afzal Hossain Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz also issued a rule upon the government to explain within three weeks why the accused should not be granted regular bail in the case.

The bench passed the order upon a petition filed by the accused on Sunday.

The Jamaat men who got the bail include the party's publicity secretary Tasnim Alam, two assistant secretary generals Shafiqur Rahman and advocate Jasim Uddin Sarker, and Dhaka city unit leader Nurul Islam Bulbul.

The accused appeared before the court seeking bail in the case yesterday.

Shahbagh police filed the case on June 29 against the Jamaat men on charge of obstructing police during the arrest of Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami near the National Press Club in connection with a case against him.