Mr Kabir was trying to highlight 'plight' of minorities

He said that they were not speedily implementing a high court order issued on Saturday that Sharir Kabir be immediately given bail.

Mr Kabir still faces sedition charges which carry a life sentence, but a date for his trial has not yet been set.

His lawyers say he had to endure appalling conditions in prison.

Contentious writing

So far, government lawyers have not appealed against Saturday's bail ruling.

But it seems as if they are determined he should be prosecuted for sedition - one of the most serious offences under Bangladeshi law.

Mr Kabir's defence team argues that he has been victimised because he has a long history of attacking the governing Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

He has also been highly critical of what he sees as the Islamic fundamentalism of the Jamaat-i-Islami party, a coalition partner of the government.

The government says that Mr Kabir has violated the constitution of Bangladesh by making derogatory comments about the country during his campaign to highlight what he sees as the plight of its Hindu minority.