PABNA: A court here sent 30 BNP leaders and activists to jail in a case filed for attacking Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader and now prime minister, in 1994.  

Additional District and Sessions Judge-1 Md Rustom Ali Sunday (June 30) rejected the bail petitions after hearing arguments on bail petitions filed by the accused.

Out of 52 accused, 30 appeared before court and sought bail this noon. 

At the same time, the court also issued warrant against five accused to arrest them who did not appear before it today. The court also set Monday (July 1) to hear further argument in the case.

According to case statement, Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, came under the attack as soon as the train carrying her reached Ishwardi Railway Station during a countrywide campaign by rail on September 23, 1994

Later, the officer-in-charge of Ishwardi Railway GRP Police Station filed the case with the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader and now the general secretary of Ishwardi municipality BNP Zakaria Pinto and seven others.

After the formation of the Awami League government in 1996, the police initiated further investigation of the case filed for the attack targeting the compartment with hurling crude bombs and firing bullets where she was still inside the train along with her leaders and activists. 

At the end of the investigation, 52 people including local BNP, Juba Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leaders were made accused in the case.

BDST: 1912 HRS, JUNE 30, 2019
RS/SMS