Nanak, Azam cleared of 2004 arson charges

A Dhaka court today cleared Awami League lawmakers Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam and 16 others of charges of an arson attack that killed 11 people in 2004.

Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury passed the order after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted the probe report stating that charges brought against the defendants were found to be false.
A double-decker bus was torched near Sheraton Hotel on 4 June 2004 during an AL-called 24-hour hartal killing 11 people while the party was in opposition.
A case was filed on the next day with Ramna Police Station where it was mentioned the attack was carried out in a well-organised plan to kill people and thus create panic.