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superintendent.

Contacted, prominent rights lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua termed the incident “objectionable” and said the boy should have been granted bail.

“It shows the judicial malpractices of the past regime are repeating, where judges appear unable to carry out their duties independently,” he told The Daily Star. “Refusing bail has now become the norm in cases where the opposite should have been the norm”.

Sub-inspector Alamgir filed the case at Nangolkot Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act against 25 named accused, including the boy, and at least 50 unnamed activists of the banned BCL and Awami League, on charges of holding a torch procession on Chilpara-Urkuti Road under Dhalua Union.

The case statement says police arrested one person on the spot. They later conducted drives in different areas and arrested five more, including the eighth grader, whom the SI described as a child and BCL activist.

At the Cumilla court premises yesterday, the boy’s father said that despite trying for two days, he could neither secure bail nor obtain permission for his son to sit for annual exams, which began yesterday.

He said the false charges have put his son’s academic year at risk.

“My son is not involved in any political activities, and neither am I. I am a decorator [event organiser] by profession, and it requires me to supply products to BNP, Jamaat, Awami League -- any political party. That is simply the nature of my business,” he said.

“On what grounds are they saying my son goes to rallies or meetings? He is not even old enough for that. If my son has done anything wrong, show me proof. I am appealing to all of you for justice.”

Officer-in-charge Fazlul Haque of Nangolkot Police Station said they arrested six individuals based on specific allegations of participating in the rally by a banned organisation and sent them to court.

The head teacher of the boy’s school said the annual exams began yesterday and that the father has collected a certification letter to present before the court.