Dispose Khaleda's bail plea in Comilla arson case by Jul 26: HC

Bangladesh's High Court today directed a lower court to hear and dispose of a bail petition filed by former prime minister and opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia by July 26 in an arson case in which she is named as an accused, according to a media report.

Eight people were killed and 20 others were injured when unknown assailants hurled a petrol bomb at the bus in Comilla's Chouddagram upazila on February 2, 2015, during anti-government agitation.

The court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman passed the order following a petition filed by the 72-year-old three-time former premier seeking bail in the case.

Khaleda's lawyers filed a bail petition with the High Court.

"The High Court ordered them to settle the bail petition by Thursday, the order will be reviewed by the High Court next Sunday," said Zainul Abedin.

The arson case lodged under the Special Tribunal Act in 2015. Two separate cases - one for murder, the other under the Explosives Act - were filed over the incident under the Special Powers Act, 1974 with Chouddagram Police Station.

A warrant was issued for Khaleda's arrest after police filed the charges in the two cases.

As the BNP chief had been in prison since being sentenced to five years in jail in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8, police had promptly "shown her arrested".

The bail of the opposition leader in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case has been extended at least five times since March.