SC to decide on Khaleda’s bail in murder case on Jul 2

The Supreme Court will decide on Jul 2 whether to uphold the bail granted to BNP chief Khaleda Zia in the murder case over the 2015 petrol bombing of a bus in Cumilla’s Chauddagram.

A four-member appellate bench led by the chief justice set the date on Sunday after hearing a state petition to appeal the bail granted by the High Court.

The curt will also hear the state’s appeal against the bail in the Special Powers Act case over the arson of a covered van in Cumilla on Monday.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state during Sunday’s hearing.

Mohammad Ali, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Zainul Abedin and Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented Khaleda Zia.

Eight people were killed in the arson attack on a bus in Cumilla’s Chauddagram during protests by the alliance of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami on Feb 3, 2015. Two cases were started over the incident – one for the killings and the other for the use of explosives.

Police named Khaleda as the instigator of the attack in the murder case, which also accused 76 others.

On Mar 12 of this year court police Inspector Subrata Banerjee filed a petition seeking to show the BNP chief arrested in the case.

The court took cognisance of his petition and ordered the prison authorities to produce Khaleda in the court on Mar 28.

She was not brought to court on Mar 28 and the court ordered prison authorities to provide an explanation as to why. The next hearing was set for Apr 8.

Prison authorities explained to the court on Sunday that the BNP leader had not been brought to the court due to her poor health.

Khaleda’s lawyer Quayyum-ul Haq Rinku said the court had set Apr 10 for the bail hearing.

The High Court then granted the BNP chief bail in the Cumilla cases on May 28, prompting the state to appeal the decision.