Khaleda accused in two cases

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was yesterday named in the FIR (First Information Report) of two more cases for instigating Tuesday's grisly arson attack on a bus on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Chauddagram that left seven passengers dead on the spot.

Former Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker of the area Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, BNP standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Mia and joint secretary generals Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Salahuddin Ahmed were also named as instigators.

Sub-inspector of Chauddagram Police Station Nuruzzaman Howladar filed the cases against 56 BNP and Jamaat leaders, and 15-20 unnamed people on Tuesday night.

Taher was named the prime accused in both the cases, a Comilla correspondent reports, quoting Abdullah Al Mahfuz, inspector (Investigation) of the police station.

"The arson attack was carried out following an order of the BNP chief. That is why Khaleda is named as an instigator in both cases,” Nuruzzaman Howladar told The Daily Star.

Police said 15 people were arrested yesterday in connection with the cases.

Meanwhile, addressing a view exchange at Chauddagram High School yesterday morning, Shafiqul Islam, deputy inspector general of police (Chittagong range), said, "We [policemen] have the ability to kill two people for your [arsonists] every single killing.”

“If we build up resistance, you will not even be able to go to Pakistan,” he said, adding that police have no political identity and are working to give people security.

Rab Director General Benazir Ahmed told the meeting that the killers have no idea about the power of the state.

It will be suicidal for those who will come to unleash attacks on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway again, he said.

With the latest cases, the BNP chief has been sued in six cases so far for instigating arson attacks during the non-stop blockade.