Charge hearing against BNP-Jamaat leaders deferred

A Dhaka court has yet again deferred charge hearing against 46 BNP-Jamaat leaders and workers, including BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a case filed for torching vehicles in front of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in 2012. Judge Ataul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal on Thursday fixed Sept 24 for a hearing on framing of charges in the case after the defence counsel sought time citing a pending appeal with the Higher Court over the legality of the case. 37 BNP leaders and activists, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dhaka city unit BNP convener Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, MK Anwar and Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain were present in the court today. On August 13, a court fixed Thursday (Sept 4) for charge hearing in the case filed with Tejgaon Model Police Station against 46 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists for setting a bus alight near the PMO during a protest programme by the opposition on April 29, 2012, according to a news agency.