A Dhaka court yesterday issued arrest warrants for BNP leader Mirza Abbas and 19 others in connection with two arson cases filed with Mirpur Police Station in June 2010.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahbubur Rahman passed the order after framing charges against 46 people, including the 20.

The court issued the arrest warrants as the 20 accused failed to appear before it yesterday. The court also directed the officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station to submit reports on the execution of the order by November 25.

According to the prosecution, on June 26, 2010, leaders and activists of the then BNP-led 18-party alliance brought out a procession and carried out vandalism and arson attacks in front of German Technical and Swadhin Bangla Market in the city's Mirpur area.

Meanwhile, another Dhaka court yesterday rejected a bail petition for BNP leader Amanullah Aman in connection with 10 arson cases filed with Paltan, Lalbagh and Motijheel police stations.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka passed the order after Aman's lawyer moved the bail petitions against the rejection order of the lower court on August 2.

On that day, the BNP leader was sent to jail as his bail petitions in 47 out of 55 arson cases were denied.

CASE AGAINST TARIQUE

Another Dhaka court yesterday again asked officer-in-charge of Paltan Police Station to submit a progress report by October 19 on the arrest warrant for BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman in a case filed for calling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman a “big Razakar”.

Metropolitan Magistrate Amit Kumar Dey passed the order after police failed to submit any report.

On December 15 last year, Tarique said Sheikh Mujib was a “big Razakar for having banned the Awami League himself dubbing it a party of thieves”.