The High Court yesterday directed the lower court concerned to dispose of a bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on February 4 in a case filed over killing of eight people in an arson attack in Cumilla in 2015.

The HC bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order after hearing another bail petition filed by Khaleda on January 20 in the same case.

While passing the order, the HC said the Cumilla District and Sessions Judge's Court has to dispose of the bail petition on February 4, Kayser Kamal, a lawyer for Khaleda, told The Daily Star.

He said the District and Sessions Judge's Court in Cumilla on January 16 fixed the date for hearing the bail petition of Khaleda.

The BNP chairperson filed the petition with the HC on January 20, seeking bail in the arson case.