Charge hearing against Mirza Alamgir, 45 others deferred

A Dhaka court on Tuesday deferred the hearing on framing charges in a case of arson against BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 45 others. The court of Judge Ataul Haque of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal has set September 4 as the fresh date for the hearing. Defence counsel Masum Ahmed Talukder told the court that hearing on the defendants plea claiming that the case was ‘illegally framed’ was pending in the higher court. So, they sought more time from the court, which the judge accepted. Senior BNP leaders Mirza Fakfrul Islam Alamgir, ASM Hannan Shah and MK Anwar were present at the court during Tuesday’s hearing. The case was filed with the Ramna Police Station over setting fire to a car in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in 2012. Police pressed charges on 46 people including several BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists, according to a news agency.