SC upholds Khaleda's bail in Cumilla case

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a High Court order that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a case filed over the killings eight people by torching a bus in Cumilla in 2015.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after dismissing a petition filed by the state seeking a stay on the HC order.

However, Khaleda Zia cannot be released from jail as she is arrested in few other cases, Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashirullah told The Daily Star.

The case was filed after eight people were killed and at least 25 were injured as a bus was torched in Cumilla's Chouddagram during anti-government agitations by the BNP-led alliance on February 2, 2015.

Following a bail petition filed by Khaleda, the HC on March 6 granted the six-month interim bail to her in the Cumilla murder case.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the state while Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain and Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali argued for Khaleda.