Khaleda denied bail in Cumilla arson case

Cumilla Correspondent: A Cumilla court on Monday rejected the interim bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a case filed over the 2015 arson attack on a bus in Chouddagram upazila that left eight people dead.

Cumilla District and Sessions Judge Jesmin Ara Begum fixed April 23 for next hearing after rejecting Khaleda Zia’s interim bail petition filed by her lawyers.

Khaleda's lawyer Advocate Kazi Nazmus Sadat confirmed the matter.

Earlier on April 10, the court rejected the bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the case. Senior Judicial Magistrate Mustain Billah of Judicial Magistrate Court-5 rejected the bail prayer after holding a hearing on the petition.

Following this, Khaleda Zia’s lawyers today filed a bail petition with the district judges court.

Earlier on March 12, showing her arrested in the case, the court asked police to produce Khaleda Zia before it on March 28, 2018.

However, Khaleda Zia who is now in Dhaka old central jail did not appear before the court for her illness.

Eight people were killed and at least 20 others injured when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at a bus at Jogmohanpur in Chouddagram during the BNP-led alliance’s movement on February 3, 2015.

Two cases—one under the Explosive Substances Act and another for murder—were filed over the incident.

Sub-inspector Nururzzaman filed the murder case against 77 people, including Khaleda Zia.

October 9, 2017, a Cumilla court ordered the arrest of Khaleda Zia and 45 other leaders and activists of her party in the case filed under the Explosive Substances Act over the arson attack.


risingbd/Cumilla/April 16, 2018/Imrul/AI