SC upholds HC stay on trial of 4 cases against Khaleda

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a High Court order that stayed the trial proceedings of four violence cases filed against BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia five years ago.
The top court also issued an order to dispose of a previous rule issued by the High Court on the allegations.
A six-member full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after hearing four appeals filed by the state.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the state, assisted by Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath, while lawyers Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Badruddoza Badal appeared for Khaleda.
Barrister Bodruddoza Badal      told that the HC's stay orders on the trial proceedings of Khaleda Zia will remain in force following the apex court order.
The HC will hear the rules for disposals, he said, adding that Khaleda, the former prime minister, is on bail in four cases.
The four cases were filed against the BNP chairperson with charges of sabotage between January and March of 2015 at Jatrabari police station and Darussalam police station.
After the BNP was prevented from holding a rally in 2015 to protest the anniversary of the 10th Bangladesh parliamentary election, Khaleda called a nationwide blockade.
Following four separate petitions filed by Khaleda, the HC on April 13, 2017 stayed the trial proceedings against her in the vandalism and arson cases and also issued four rules asking the government to explain as to why the proceedings of the cases should not be scrapped.
Khaleda is accused in 37 cases and she secured bail in 35 cases. She has been convicted in Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust corruption cases.
The BNP chairperson was released from jail following an executive order issued by the government on March 25 this year.