Journalist Anis Alamgir has secured permanent bail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), allowing him to travel abroad at any time. On Thursday, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order while rejecting a separate plea seeking exemption from personal appearances in court.

The court directed Anis to appear physically on scheduled hearing dates.

His lawyer Taslima Jahan Popy said Anis appeared before the court as a hearing was scheduled for the case.

The defence filed three petitions seeking permanent bail, permission to appear through legal representation instead of personal attendance, and clearance for unrestricted foreign travel.

After the hearing, the court approved the bail and travel requests but rejected the plea for exemption from personal appearance.

The journalist’s legal troubles began on Dec 14 last year when a Detective Branch (DB) team took him into custody for questioning at 8pm.

The same night, a man named Ariyan Ahmed, identified as a member of an organisation called the “July Revolutionary Alliance”, filed a case against Anis and three others, accusing them of “conspiring to destabilise the state and inciting a banned organisation”.

The three other suspects in the case are actress Meher Afroz Shaon, fashion model Maria Kispotta, and television host Imtu Ratish.

The group was accused of conspiring to destabilise the state and inciting a banned organisation.

Anis was questioned for five days in custody before being sent to prison on Dec 20.

Then, on Jan 15, the ACC filed a case against him over charges of acquiring illegal wealth. On Jan 28, the court showed him arrested in response to an ACC petition.

The journalist was released from jail after securing bail from the High Court on Mar 5 in the Anti-Terrorism Act case and on Mar 11 in the ACC case.

According to the ACC, Alamgir holds assets totalling Tk 40.9 million, including Tk 2.5 million in immovable and Tk 38.4 million in movable property.

With personal expenses factored in, his total acquired wealth stands at Tk 42.5 million.

The commission alleges that Tk 32.6 million of this amount — nearly 77 percent of his total wealth — is inconsistent with his known income of Tk 9.9 million.

His declared earnings include past savings, consultancy fees, talk show appearances, and the sale of a plot.