Staff Reporter :
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the High Court order that granted interim bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a case filed in connection with burning a covered van at Chouddagram, Cumilla, on January 25, 2015 during the countrywide blockade programme called by BNP.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after dismissing the government petition seeking cancellation of her bail granted by the HC on May 28.
The apex court also vacated its chamber judges’s order that stayed the HC order of bail to Khaleda in the case and asked the HC to dispose the appeal petition filed by Khaleda Zia, if the bail petition is maintainable within seven days.
Earlier on Monday, the SC fixed the date after completing hearing of the government’s leave-to-appeal petition filed against the High Court order.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam placed argument in the apex court for cancelling the HC order about bail.
Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate A J Mohammad Ali and Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared for Khaleda Zia. They prayed to the apex court to uphold the HC order that granted bail to Khaleda in this case.
Advocate Masud Rana, a lawyer for Khaleda, told that the BNP Chairperson was not released from jail despite the SC order, as few other cases were pending.
A covered van was set on fire and vandalised in Chauddagram on Jan 25, 2015, during the blockade programme called by the BNP-led alliance. Later, a case was filed with the Chauddagram Police Station under the Special Power Act.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years’ rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
