HC asks Cumilla court to settle Khaleda’s bail petition by Thursday

The High Court has directed the Cumilla District Judge Court to settle the bail petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the murder case over the 2015 petrol bombing of a bus in Cumilla’s Chauddagram by Thursday.

An HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Md Mojibur Rahman made the order after hearing a petition on Monday.

Lawyer Zainul Abedin, advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman represented Khaleda Zia during the hearing.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Md Basir Ullah.

Judge KM Shamsul Alam had endorsed the police’s move to name Khaleda as an arrestee in the case but did not take any decision about her bail plea, setting Aug 8 for the next hearing. 
 
Khaleda’s lawyers filed a bail petition with the High Court. 
 
The court had set Monday for the decision after hearing the appeal on Sunday. 
 
“The High Court ordered them to settle the bail petition by Thursday, the order will be reviewed by the High Court next Sunday,” said Zainul Abedin. 
 
Eight people were killed after a night coach was firebombed in Chauddagram on Feb 3, 2015 during the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s protests. Two separate cases – one for murder, the other under the Explosives Act – were filed over the incident.
 
A warrant was issued for Khaleda’s arrest after police filed the charges in the two cases.

As the BNP chief had been in prison since being sentenced to five years in jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Feb 8, police had promptly “shown her arrested”.