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18-party leaders’ bail plea hearing on May 23

. banglanews24.com, Dhaka
A Dhaka court on Thursday fixed May 23 for hearing the separate bail petitions filed by 33 leaders of BNP-led 18-party alliance, including party's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a vehicle torching case in front of PM's office during hartal.
Judge Jahurul Haque of Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Court fixed the date in response to 15 separate bail pleas filed by 33 18-party alliance leaders. A pro-BNP lawyer, wishing anonymity, confirmed banglanews about the matter. Earlier on Wednesday, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Erfanullah asked the authority concerned to send 33 leaders of BNP-led 18-party including BNP acting secretary general Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to jail after rejecting their bail prayers.
Earlier in the morning, some 33 leaders of BNP-led 18-party alliance surrendered before the CMM Court and sought bail in a case filed for torching vehicle in front of PM's office during hartal.
However, police arrested one activist Nasir earlier.
On May 13, the High Court directed the leaders of BNP-led 18-party alliance accused in arson and blast cases, to surrender before a lower court by May 16.
On May 7, an HC bench comprising of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder passed a split orders after hearing the cased filed for cocktail explosion, vehicle vandalism and arson.
The senior Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury granted bail to the top leaders of the party until the charge sheets are framed against them.
The junior Justice however ordered them to surrender before the lower court within seven days. But, the leaders would not be arrested and harassed during the time, he added. On May 2, a High Court bench felt embarrassed to entertain the bail petitions filed by senior BNP leaders, including acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
On April 30, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir among a number of alliance leaders were sued for their alleged involvement in cocktail explosion at secretariat, vehicle vandalism and arson in PM office area during Sunday's dawn-to-dusk hartal.
Police filed two cases with Tejgaon and Shahbagh Thanas. Fakhrul was made accused in the both cases.
On May 10, DB police submitted charge sheet against 45 leaders and activists of BNP-led 18-party alliance including party's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a case of torching vehicle in front of PMO.