Cumilla murder case: Order on Khaleda Zia’s bail plea tomorrow

The High Court will deliver its order tomorrow on a petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia seeking bail in a murder case filed in Cumilla in 2015.

The case was filed for killing eight persons and injuring 25-26 others by setting a bus on fire during the anti-government agitations in Chouddagram upazila on February 2, 2015.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman fixed the date for passing order after concluding hearing on the petition today.

During hearing Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali told the HC that his client’s name was not mentioned in the first information report (FIR) and there is no specific allegation against her in the case.

The lawyer also argued that the BNP chief has been suffering from various diseases and therefore, she should be granted bail in the case.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam opposed the bail petition, saying that there are specific allegations against Khaleda Zia of provoking for torching a passenger a bus in which eight persons were killed and 25 others were injured.

Therefore, Khaleda Zia cannot be granted bail in the case, he added.

The BNP chairperson filed the petition with the HC on February 27 seeking bail in the murder case.

Earlier on January 23, the HC asked the lower court concerned to dispose of by February 4, the petition filed by Khaleda seeking bail in the case.

On February 4, Cumilla Additional District and Session Judge Mohammad Ali Akbar rejected the bail petition.

Khaleda landed in the Old Dhaka central jail on February 8 last year after a special court convicted and sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The HC on October 30, 2018 enhanced her punishment to 10 years’ imprisonment in the same case.

Besides, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was also convicted in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment by a special court on October 29 last year, Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah told The Daily Star.