Police have opened an investigation into the case against Khaleda Zia and others on their alleged links to the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally that left 24 people dead.
Cox's Bazar Awami League worker Badar Aziz Uddin filed the case on Tuesday against 28 people, including Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka.
Metropolitan magistrate Syed Md Mujibul Haque heard the case and ordered Paltan police chief to take legal action against the accused persons via an investigation.
Paltan police chief Farid Ahmed told bdnews24.com on Wednesday that they had already opened an investigation into the case.
He said an earlier case had been filed following the incident. "Two cases cannot be filed over a single incident and that is why we're considering whether the new case can be attached to the old one."
Farid Ahmed said: "We've collected files from the first case from Motijheel Police Station. A final decision on combining the two cases will be taken after collecting all the information."
Police will arrest those found linked to the incident, during the investigation, he added.
The bomb attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004 left 24 people dead and several hundred including Sheikh Hasina injured.
The accused in the case include Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mujahid, former minister for housing and public works Mirza Abbas, Khaleda's adviser Hannan Shah, Rajshahi city mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, former minister for telecommunications Barrister Aminul Haque, BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, former state minister Salahuddin Ahmed and other BNP leaders Mosaddek Ali Falu, Amanullah Aman and Barkatullah Bulu.
A businessman linked controversially to the BNP, Giasuddin Al Mamun, former BNP MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Bogra BNP leader Helaluzzaman Talukder, Jamaat assistant secretary general Abdul Kader Mollah, Krishak Dal general secretary Shahjahan Miah, former BNP MP Shahidul Haq Jamal, BNP Dhaka city leader Chowdhury Alam and two senior officials of Islami Bank have also been named in the case.
Besides, former NSI chief Rezzakul Haider, former inspector general of police Modabbir Hossain, former additional director general of CID Faruk Ahmed, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Khoda Boksh also face the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Awami League Wednesday denied having a hand in Tuesday's case filed against former prime minister Khaleda Zia for the August 21 grenade attack on an AL rally.
"We didn't know anything about the case. We don't have any relation with it. Someone filed the case personally. We came to know about it through the media," AL chief Sheikh Hasina's special assistant Hasan Mahmud told reporters.
Cox's Bazar Awami League worker Badar Aziz Uddin Tuesday filed the case against 28 people, including Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami on allegations of their links to the attack on the 2004 rally that left 24 people dead.
Another report adds, the police Wednesday barred AL leaders and activists to enter party chief Hasina's Sudha Sadan home, saying they cannot let more than four persons in at a time.
Sub-inspector Giasuddin who was on duty at the Sudha Sadan said they have orders not to allow more than four persons to get in at a time.
The AL men argued with the law-enforcers over the restrictions to meet the party chief.
Meanwhile, AL chief Sheikh Hasina has said the constitution does not allow the caretaker government to present a budget the way it has been planned for.
"No representation, no taxation," Hasina told reporters Wednesday after visiting AL leader Zillur Rahman at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital (BIRDEM).
Hasina said the government could have given a short-time budget and referred to the 1996 caretaker government that had laid out a budget for two months.