Dhaka, May 30 – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court is likely to hear Thursday on the government appeals filed against the High Court order that granted bail for six months to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in two Comilla arson cases.The three-member bench of the Appellate Division is likely to hear on the appeals as the apex court enlisted the matter in its today’s cause list as the item number 5 and 6 for hearing on the appeals.
Earlier on May 29, the chamber court of the Appellate Division yesterday stayed the High Court (HC) order that granted bail for six months to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in two Comilla arson cases.
Earlier on May 29, in response to the government’s pleas, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Hasan Foez Siddiqui, stayed the High Court (HC) order that granted bail for six months to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in two Comilla arson cases.
It also fixed 31 May for hearing on the appeals in the full bench of the apex court.
Earlier, on May 28, the government filed separate appeal petitions with the chamber court of the Appellate Division for staying the operation of the HC order passed a few hours ago to grant six months’ bail to the BNP chief in two arson cases in Comilla.
On the same day (May 28), the HC bench—comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice JBM Hassan—granted six months’ bail for Khaleda Zia in the cases filed over vandalism in Chouddagram, Comilla, on January 2015, and the killing of eight and injuring 25–26 others by setting a passenger bus ablaze in Chouddagram on February 2, 2015.
The two cases were filed in Comilla on charges of vandalizing vehicles in 2015. Eight people were killed and at least 20 injured when assailants hurled a petrol bomb at a bus in Jagmohanpur area of Chouddagram under Comilla district during the BNP-led alliance’s protests on February 3, 2015. Two cases—one under the Explosive Substances Act and another for murder—were filed against Khaleda in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, another bench of the HC—comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sahidul Karim—will deliver its order today on two bail petitions filed by the BNP chief seeking bail in two other cases.
After concluding hearing, the HC bench on Tuesday fixed for the date for delivering its order on the petitions.
Among the two cases, one was a defamation suit filed by Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddik on November 3, 2016, against Khaleda for distorting the history of the Liberation War and demeaning the national flag and map. Later, an arrest warrant was issued on November 12, 2017.
The other case was filed by journalist Gazi Jahirul Islam on August 30, 2016, accusing Khaleda of observing her birthday on August 15 on the basis of false information. Later, on November 17, 2016, an arrest warrant was issued against her.
On May 16, the Appellate Division of the SC upheld the HC order that had granted bail to Khaleda in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
However, the BNP chief was not freed from jail, as she was shown arrested in some other cases filed with different police stations in Comilla, Dhaka, Narail and Panchagarh, including the three in which she has already sought bail. The BNP chairperson is currently facing a total of 36 cases. – Staff Reporter
