A court here on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and 27 others in connection with a deadly arson attack on a bus last year.
The incident took place on January 23 during a violent transport blockade by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, which was protesting against the 2014 general election that they had boycotted. The attack left one person dead and over 30 badly injured, while over 150 were killed during the course of the three-month-long protests.
The court also directed the police to submit a report by April 27 on the execution of the warrant. The court will now hear the state’s argument on framing of charges. Ms. Zia, who is already being tried in two corruption cases, will have another legal battle on hand in the charges are accepted.
Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who was appointed as the BNP’s Secretary General during the day by Ms. Zia, was granted bail just four hours after being arrested in an arson case.
