Court denies Khaleda's bail petition in Cumilla arson case

Published: April 10, 2018 14:14:10 | Updated: April 10, 2018 17:14:58

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A Cumilla court on Tuesday rejected the 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.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Mustain Billah of Judicial Magistrate Court-5 rejected the bail prayer after holding a hearing on the petition, reports UNB.

"We will file a bail petition with the district judges court," Khaleda Zia's lawyer advocate Kaimul Haque Rinku told journalist in the noon.

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

However, Khaleda who is now in Dhaka old central jail did not appear before the court due to her illness, said the lawyer.

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.

On 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.