Cumilla court denies Khaleda's bail in arson case

A Cumilla court on Tuesday rejected the bail petition of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a case filed over the 2015 arson attack on a bus in Chouddagram upazila of the district that left eight people dead, reports UNB.

Senior judicial magistrate Mustain Billah of Judicial Magistrate Court-5 rejected the bail prayer after holding a hearing on the petition.

"We will file a bail petition with the district judges court," Khaleda Zia's lawyer advocate Kaimul Haque Rinku told journalist in the noon.

Earlier on 12 March, showing her arrested in the case, the court asked police to produce Khaleda Zia before it on 28 March 2018.

However, Khaleda who is now in Dhaka old central jail did not appear before the court for her illness, said the lawyer.

Eight people were killed and at least 20 others injured when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at a bus at Jogmohanpur in Chouddagram during the BNP-led alliance's movement on 3 February 2015.

Two cases -- one under the Explosive Substances Act and another for murder -- were filed over the incident.

Sub-inspector Nururzzaman filed the murder case against 77 people, including Khaleda.

9 October 2017, a Cumilla court ordered the arrest of Khaleda Zia and 45 other leaders and activists of her party in the case filed under the Explosive Substances Act over the arson attack.