Two cases have been filed against 76 leaders and activists of the 20-party alliance, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for criminal solicitation, in connection with a petrol bomb attack on a bus that left seven people dead in Chauddagram upazila early Tuesday.
Sub-inspector of Chauddagram Police Station Nuruzzaman filed the cases against 56 named, including Sayed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, foreign affairs secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami, and 20 unnamed leaders and activists of the alliance on Tuesday night.
According to the case statement, the arson attack was carried out following an order of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Comilla Superintendent of Police Tutul Chakrabraty confirmed the filing of the cases.
Miscreants hurled the petrol bomb on the Dhaka-bound bus of ‘Icon Paribahan’ from Chittagong at Jogmohonpur in Chauddagram upazila on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway on the third day of the nationwide 71-hour (later extended up to 108 hours) hartal, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance early Tuesday, leaving its seven passengers dead on the spot and 16 others with injuries.
While the 72-hour nationwide hartal was scheduled to end at 6.00am Wednesday, the alliance on Tuesday extended it by 36 hours till 6.00pm Thursday.
In a statement, BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the alliance, announced the extended shutdown programme as part of its movement for restoring democracy and people’s voting right.
Now the shutdown that began at 6.00am Sunday will end at 6.00pm Thursday. –UNB, Dhaka.
