CUMILLA VANDALISM CASE

SC order on Khaleda bail today

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday (Monday) fixed June 26 (today/Tuesday) for delivering its order on a leave to appeal petition filed by the government challenging the High Court (HC) order granting bail to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a vandalism case.

The case was filed over the vandalising of vehicles in Cumilla's Chouddagram area on January 25, 2015. The three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, fixed the date after concluding the hearing on the leave to appeal petition filed by the government against the HC order.

Attorney-general Mahbubey Alam placed arguments before the court against the HC order while advocates Mohammad Ali, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Zainul Abedin and Mahbub Uddin Khokan represented Khaleda Zia.

On May 28, the HC bench—comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice JBM Hassan—granted six months’ bail to Khaleda Zia in the case filed over vandalism in Chouddagram, Cumilla, 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.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia is in jail since February 8 after the Special Judge's Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced her to five years' rigorous imprisonment in connection with the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

On March 13, the High Court granted her bail for four months in the case and on May 16, the Appellate Division of the SC had also 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 Cumilla, 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.

Meanwhile, the apex court yesterday upheld the HC order that directed the magistrate courts concerned to speedily dispose of two bail petitions filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in connection with two cases filed on charges of observing her “fake birthday” and “demeaning” the national flag.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after dismissing two leave to appeal petitions filed by the government challenging the HC order.

On May 31, the HC ordered the relevant chief metropolitan magistrate courts in Dhaka to expeditiously hear and dispose of the bail petitions filed by Khaleda in the cases.

One of the cases was filed by Gazi Zahirul Islam, former joint general secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists, on August 30, 2016, with a Dhaka court against Khaleda for allegedly celebrating her “fake” birthday on August 15 every year.

The second case was filed by AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, with a Dhaka court on November 3, 2016, accusing Khaleda and her late husband and former president Ziaur Rahman of “undermining” the country's map and national flag.

CUMILLA VANDALISM CASE

SC order on Khaleda bail today

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday (Monday) fixed June 26 (today/Tuesday) for delivering its order on a leave to appeal petition filed by the government challenging the High Court (HC) order granting bail to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a vandalism case. The case was filed over the vandalising of vehicles in Cumillas Chouddagram area on January 25, 2015. The three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, fixed the date after concluding the hearing on the leave to appeal petition filed by the government against the HC order. Attorney-general Mahbubey Alam placed arguments before the court against the HC order while advocates Mohammad Ali, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Zainul Abedin and Mahbub Uddin Khokan represented Khaleda Zia. On May 28, the HC benchcomprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice JBM Hassangranted six months bail to Khaleda Zia in the case filed over vandalism in Chouddagram, Cumilla, on January 2015, and the killing of eight and injuring 2526 others by setting a passenger bus ablaze in Chouddagram on February 2, 2015. BNP chief Khaleda Zia is in jail since February 8 after the Special Judges Court-5 of Dhaka sentenced her to five years rigorous imprisonment in connection with the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. On March 13, the High Court granted her bail for four months in the case and on May 16, the Appellate Division of the SC had also 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 Cumilla, 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. Meanwhile, the apex court yesterday upheld the HC order that directed the magistrate courts concerned to speedily dispose of two bail petitions filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in connection with two cases filed on charges of observing her fake birthday and demeaning the national flag. A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after dismissing two leave to appeal petitions filed by the government challenging the HC order. On May 31, the HC ordered the relevant chief metropolitan magistrate courts in Dhaka to expeditiously hear and dispose of the bail petitions filed by Khaleda in the cases. One of the cases was filed by Gazi Zahirul Islam, former joint general secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists, on August 30, 2016, with a Dhaka court against Khaleda for allegedly celebrating her fake birthday on August 15 every year. The second case was filed by AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, with a Dhaka court on November 3, 2016, accusing Khaleda and her late husband and former president Ziaur Rahman of undermining the countrys map and national flag.