The SC Appellate Division also accepted the government's leave to appeal petitions against the HC order. The appeals will also be heard after a month.

The seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin yesterday passed the order and granted the government's appeal.

Many high profile former ministers and lawmakers, businessmen and professionals were arrested after the declaration of the state of emergency and were later detained under the Special Powers Act.

The HC had declared the detentions of the 53 arrestees illegal after relatives of the detainees filed separate petitions at different times challenging the detention orders.

The SC decided to hold an analogous hearing of the government appeals against the HC orders.

Following yesterday's SC stay order, the 53 detainees will have to be inside jails. Besides, nobody will be able to challenge any other detention orders under Section 491 of Criminal Procedure Code until the disposal of the SC order, legal experts observed.

Meanwhile, an HC bench yesterday adjourned until April 15 the passing of an order on a provision of the Amended Emergency Powers Rules that bar an accused from appealing for bail.

The HC adjournment came following a deputy attorney general's submission saying the government will amend section 19 Gha of the Amended Emergency Powers Rules that bar an accused from seeking bail from a court or a tribunal.

The HC bench said in the meantime it will hear the bail petitions as usual.