Khaleda Zia charged with \\\'instigating arson\\\'

A criminal case was filed accusing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia of 'instigating arson' in the city's Jatrabarhi area, reports bdnews24.com.

She had been booked in the case over hurling of petrol bombs by alleged BNP supporters on a passenger bus at Jatrabarhi during the ongoing BNP transport blockade.

This comes two days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had warned the BNP chief of such action unless the blockade was withdrawn.

Sub-Inspector (SI) of Jatrabarhi thana KM Nuruzzman filed the case Saturday, a case in which 18 BNP leaders, including Khaleda Zia, stand accused of 'conspiring and instigating' the bomb attack.

Fifty other BNP leaders and activists had been accused of carrying out the attack in the case.

Twenty-seven passengers were burnt, many seriously, when petrol bombs were lobbed on a bus near Katherpool at Jatrabarhi Friday night.

"Khaleda Zia had been accused as 'Hukumer Asami' as someone responsible for 'instigation and conspiracy' in the case," said SI Nuruzzaman.

Meanwhile, the BNP has warned the government of 'dire consequences' if the case accusing Khaleda Zia of 'instigating an arson attack' is not withdrawn right away.

"The government has set another inhuman example by lodging a false case against Khaleda Zia who is grieving after losing a son," the party's Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in a statement on Sunday.