Court Correspondent
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka yesterday (Monday) fixed December 29 for hearing on whether the charge sheets submitted against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 37 others in two cases would be taken into cognizance or not.Magistrate Maruf Hosain passed the order as review on the relevant dockets of the case are yet to completed.
Detective Branch (DB) Sub-Inspector and also the Investigation Officer of the two cases, Bashir Ahmed submitted the charge sheets of the cases to the court on May 6. Earlier, the cases were filed with Jatrabari Police Station on January 23 in connection with hurling petrol bomb on a passenger bus, leaving one person dead and 28 others injured. Of the cases, one was filed for murder while the other was lodged under the Explosive Substances Act.
Of the accused seven are in the jail while 31 others including Khaleda Zia were shown fugitives and warrant of arrests were sought against them. The BNP Chairperson was made prime accused in both the cases.
Other 37 accused include BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar, Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Aman Ullah Aman, BNP chief’s adviser Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Shawkot Mahmud, Special Assistant Shamsul Islam Shimul Biswas, Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan, Meer Abu Zafar Shamsuddin Didar, Schechasebak Dal General Secretary Meer Sarafat Ali Sofu, BNP’s Dhaka City Member Secretary Habibunnabi Khan Sohel, BNP National Executive Committee member Azizul Bari Helal, former lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed, his son Tanvir alias Robin, Nabiullah Nabi, Quaiyum Commissioner, Latif Commissioner and Peshajibi Dal leader Selim Bhuiyan.
On January 24, Jatrabari Police Station SI KM Nuruzzaman filed the case. The names of 18 BNP leaders have been mentioned as planners of hurling petrol bomb under Section 15/25(Gha) of Special Power Act 1974. Besides, 80 people, including 50 leaders and activists of BNP, Jatrabari unit as they allegedly implemented the plan.
