Former govt official sent to jail over attempt on Khaleda’s life

A Dhaka court on Thursday sent former joint secretary Syed Jaglul Pasha to jail in a case filed over allegations of attempting to murder former prime minister Khaleda Zia with “deadly pepper spray” and obstructing her movement by positioning trucks next to her residence.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ripon Hossain passed the order after police produced him before the court following the completion of his seven-day remand, said prosecution division Sub-Inspector Moktar Hossain.

He said the court sent Jaglul Pasha to jail and set Sunday for hearing the bail petition filed on behalf of the accused.

Earlier, on August 4, Jaglul Pasha was arrested from his residence in the Vatara Police Station area. The court placed him on a seven-day remand the following day.

According to the case documents, the accused allegedly gathered in front of Begum Khaleda Zia’s residence in Gulshan on 28 December 2013, carrying deadly weapons.

They also allegedly assaulted leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organisations and carried out acts of sabotage by blocking the road to prevent the public from moving freely and to stop Khaleda Zia from attending a scheduled rally, thereby obstructing democratic rights.

The complaint alleges that the accused created panic by blocking the road with sand-laden trucks and other vehicles when Khaleda Zia was preparing to leave for the rally with her entourage at around 9:00am on 29 December 2013.

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The case further alleges that the accused used prohibited deadly pepper spray with the intention of killing her, during which the former prime minister and several accompanying leaders and activists were allegedly injured.

Shariful Islam Shawon, a former leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, filed the case against 11 named accused and 250–300 unidentified accused with Gulshan Police Station in October 2024.