HC clears way for restarting proceedings
The High Court yesterday cleared the way for restarting trial proceedings of an arson case filed against 46 opposition leaders, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Police filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station hours after a bus was set ablaze near the Prime Minister's Office during a hartal called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance on April 29.
Yesterday, delivering a verdict on a writ petition, the HC directed the Speedy Trial Court-2 of Dhaka to start the proceedings afresh within seven days.
It, however, declared illegal the chief metropolitan magistrate's (CMM) decision to give power to Dhaka's Speedy Trial Court-5 to conduct the case.
The writ petition was filed by BNP lawmaker Mahbub Uddin Khokon, an accused in the case, challenging the decision's legality.
Following the petition, the HC, on August 6, stayed all proceedings of the case and also issued a rule upon authorities concerned to explain why the CMM Court decision should not be declared illegal.
Earlier on July 31, Speedy Trial Court-5 had framed charges against the accused of the case.
The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam Sarkar came up with the verdict after holding the final hearing on the petition.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said Speedy Trial Court-2 will now start the proceedings afresh.
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