Khaleda to appear in court October 6 for 11 cases

A Dhaka Court set October 6 for the hearing of 11 cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia; on charges of murder, sedition and violence.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Imrul Kayes passed the order Monday, asking the BNP chief to appear before the court on that date.

Of the 11 cases, eight are violence cases filed with the Darus Salam Police Station, while one is for sedition and the remaining two are for murder, filed with the Jatrabari Police Station.

Monday was set for the hearing on a charge-sheet submission in a murder case with Jatrabari Police Station and charge framing in the remaining 10 cases. However, the court deferred the hearing as the High Court (HC) stayed proceedings of some of the cases.

The sedition case against the BNP chief was filed on January 25, 2016 followed by her comment over the number of martyrs in the Liberation War.      

Meanwhile, according to case documents of the Jatrabari Police Station, an arson attack was carried out on January 23, 2015, in the area, in which 29 sustained burn injuries and one died. Subsequently on January 24, the Jatrabari police sub-inspector filed the murder case against Khaleda.

Police on May 6, 2015 submitted a charge-sheet against 38 people including the BNP chairperson.

Additionally, the BNP chief was accused in eight violence cases filed with Darus Salam Police Station in 2015. Police submitted charge-sheets in the cases in 2017 showing Khaleda absconding. Later, Khaleda surrendered before the court and was granted bail in those cases.

Apart from Khaleda, others accused in the 11 cases include BNP leaders Amanullah Aman, Habib-Un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku.

The BNP chief is now on six-month's bail after serving nearly two years behind bars in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases. The Appellate Division Monday suspended the proceedings of four violence cases against her. 

In 2017, Khaleda Zia appealed with the High Court challenging the cases filed in 2015. The HC in that year put a stay on those cases.   

Subsequently, the prosecution moved to the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the HC order. However, a five-judge virtual panel headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain upheld the HC order after hearing on Monday.