The High Court yesterday granted ad-interim bail to BNP chairperson's adviser Shawkat Mahmud for six months in three more arson cases.

The HC also issued three rules upon the government to explain in four weeks why Shawkat, also former Jatiya Press Club president, should not be granted regular bail in the cases.

The cases were filed in February and March this year during the BNP-led 20-party alliance's antigovernment agitation.

Earlier, he got bail from the HC in eight cases.

Shawkat's lawyer M Masud Rana said his client could not be released from jail as he had been shown arrested in 14 other cases.