Sramik League leader sent to jail over attack on Khaleda's motorcade

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent Md Abul Kashem Patwari alias “Hatkata” Kashem to jail in a case filed with Tejgaon Police Station over an alleged attack on the motorcade of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Kashem is reportedly the president of the Tejgaon unit of the Jatiya Sramik League and general secretary of the Bangladesh Truck Drivers Union.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir passed the order after police sought his detention, said court sources.

Kashem was arrested from the Karwan Bazar area of the capital on Monday.

According to the case statement, Khaleda Zia took part in an election campaign for BNP mayoral candidate Tabith M Awal in the Dhaka North City Corporation election on 20 April 2015.

Leaders and activists of the now-banned Awami League and its affiliated organisations attacked her motorcade in front of the BAPEX building in Karwan Bazar with an intention to kill her, it was alleged.

Bellal Hossain, a BNP leader, filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on 22 August 2024 against 113 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.