BNP's Mirza Abbas shown arrested in 9 more cases

His legal team appealed for his arrest in the cases to be officially recorded in order to apply for bail

BNP leader Mirza Abbas has been shown arrested in nine cases filed against him with the Paltan and Ramna Model police stations.

On Thursday, two metropolitan magistrates heard Abbas's application to officially record his arrest in the cases, which relate to the killing of a policeman and an attack on the residence of the chief justice.

They will hear his bail pleas later in the day.

On Jan 24, Abbas's legal counsel Mohiuddin Chowdhury applied for the BNP leader to be shown arrested in the nine cases in order to apply for his bail.

Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rezaul Karim fixed Thursday for the hearing of the application.

At least five of the cases, including the one on the policeman's murder, were filed with the Paltan Police Station. The other cases, including the one on the attack on the chief justice's residence, were filed with the Ramna Model Police Station.

The cases stem from the violent clashes between BNP supporters and police during the party's antigovernment rally in Dhaka on Oct 28. Dozens of cases were started in connection with the clashes, with Abbas being named in 11 of them.

"He was sent to jail on Nov 1 in one of the cases and was shown arrested in another. We couldn't proceed with his bail plea as the state did not show him arrested in the other nine cases. Hence, we applied for him to be shown arrested in those cases," said Mohiuddin.

Abbas was arrested on Oct 31. He has been in jail since then.