Charge-framing hearing against Khaleda, 37 others deferred

Staff Correspondent: Hearing on charge framing against BNP Chairperson Khaleda and 37 others in a case filed under Special Powers Act for allegedly carrying out subversive activities by petrol bomb attack on a passenger bus in the capital's Jatrabari in January 2015 has been deferred till July 12.

Judge S Mohammad Ali of the Special Tribunal-6 set up at Bakshibazar in the capital fixed the day taking in cognisance of time petition filed the by defendants on Sunday.

Khaleda’s lawyer Hannan Bhuiyan said, “Hearing on charge-framing in the case was fixed for Sunday. But the High Court (HC) stayed legal procedures in the case on behalf of BNP Chief Khaleda Zia. So, we filed petition to defer hearing on charge-framing.”

According to the case statement, the attack on the night of January 23, 2015 killed one person and injured 30 others, -- one of many bomb attacks that the country witnessed in the three months since early January when the BNP-led 20-party alliance started an indefinite blockade.

On May 18, 2015, detectives submitted charge sheet against Khaleda and the 37 people for the bomb attack.

The accused include BNP leaders MK Anwar, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Amanullah Aman, Barkatullah Bulu, Habibunnabi Khan Sohel, Mir Sarafat Ali Sapu, Azizul Bari Helal, Sultan Salauddin Tuku, former BNP lawmaker from Dhaka Salauddin Ahmed, Khaleda's advisors Khandker Mahbub Hossain and Shawkat Mahmud, her special assistant Shimul Biswas and press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan.
 

risingbd/Dhaka/June 03, 2018/Mamun Khan/A K Azad