Dhaka, Aug 12 – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld a High Court order that granted six months bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in an arson case filed under the Special Powers Act in Cumilla. A four-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order rejecting the petition filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC order.
Earlier on Thursday, the Appellate Division fixed today (Sunday) for delivering its order on the petition.
On August 6, the High Court granted 6-month bail to the BNP Chairperson following a bail petition in the arson case.
Later on the following day, the government filed a petition seeking a stay on the HC order.
Earlier on July 23, the HC directed the Cumilla Special Judge Court-1 to dispose of the bail petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the case within July 26.
Khaleda’s lawyer filed a bail petition with High Court as the Cumilla court rejected the bail petition of Khaleda on July 25.
Eight people were killed and 20 others injured when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at a bus at Jogmohanpur in Chouddagram of Cumilla district during the BNP-led alliance’s movement on February 3, 2015.
Two cases were filed against Khaleda in this connection.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years’ rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. – UNB
