Trial of 3 more cases against Khaleda stayed

The High Court today stayed the trial proceedings against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in three separate criminal cases including a murder charge.

The court also issued three separate rules asking the government to explain why the proceedings of the cases should not be scrapped.

The HC bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah came up with the order and rules after hearing two separate petitions filed by Khaleda seeking stay of trial proceedings of the cases.

Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star that the government will move appeals before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for staying the HC orders.

Among three cases, two – a murder case and another under explosives act -- were filed with Jatrabari Police Station on January 24, 2015, against 68 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in connection an arson attack on a passenger bus that killed a person on January 23 the same year.

The third case was filed with Darussalam Police Station on March 3, 2015, on charge of vandalising a vehicle and setting fire on it during anti-government agitation enforced by BNP-led alliance.

Trial courts later took cognisance of the charges of the cases after police submitted charge sheets to the court.

Khaleda recently filed three petitions with the HC challenging the legality of the trial proceedings on the cases.

Earlier, the HC stayed trial proceedings against Khaleda in nine other cases including a sedition case.