Khaleda denied bail in Cumilla arson case

The High Court today denied bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in an arson case filed against her under the Special Powers Act in Chauddagram of Cumilla in 2015.

The HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman passed the order after hearing an appeal seeking Khaleda Zia’s bail in the case, Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah told The Daily Star.

During the hearing, the HC bench said the appeal seeking Khaleda’s bail in the case was not filed properly as it did not include a certified copy of a Cumilla court’s order on September 13 rejecting a petition seeking bail for the BNP chairperson in the case, the DAG said.

The bench also asked Khaleda to file a fresh appeal for her bail in the case by including a certified copy of the Cumilla court’s order, he added.

Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali and Barrister Kayser Kamal appeared for Khaleda while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the state.

Earlier, on September 13, a Cumilla court rejected Khaleda Zia’s bail petition in the case.

Khaleda filed a bail petition with the Special Tribunal-1 of Cumilla in the case on July 1.

On February 2, 2015, eight people were killed and many others injured after a bus was torched in Cumilla's Chouddagram upazila during anti-government agitation.

The following day, police lodged two cases -- one for murder and another under the Special Powers Act, 1974 -- with Chouddagram Police Station.

Khaleda landed in jail on February 8 this year after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five-year jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.