Trial process in 2 arson cases against Khaleda stayed

The High Court today stayed the trial proceedings of two arson cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The court also issued two separate rulings asking the government to explain why the proceedings of the cases against Khaleda would not be scrapped.

The HC bench of Justice Miftah Uddin Chowdhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah came up with the orders and rules after hearing two separate petitions filed by Khaleda challenging the trial proceedings of the cases.

Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star that the government will appeal to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the HC order.

Earlier on April 5, Khaleda Zia filed two separate petitions with the HC seeking a stay on the trial proceedings against her in two arson cases through her lawyers challenging the lower court orders that accepted the charges.

In the petitions, she said her name was not included in the first information report (FIR) of the cases as she was confined during the incident.

Police filed the cases with Darussalam Police Station on February 10 and 20 in 2015, on charge of setting fire to vehicles during the anti-government movement.

Police submitted charge sheets of the cases on May 12 and 14 last year to the trial court implicating Khaleda along with other accused.