Ex-bureaucrat Jaglul Pasha arrested, jailed in Khaleda Zia attempted murder case

Former joint secretary Syed Jaglul Pasha has been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on charge of false testimony in the Zia Orphanage Trust and sent to jail in a case over the alleged attempted murder of former prime minister Khaleda Zia during an incident outside her Gulshan residence in December 2013.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Kamal Uddin today (5 August) ordered that Pasha be sent to jail after police produced him before the court in the case filed with Gulshan Police Station.

The court also fixed tomorrow (6 August) to hear a 10-day remand petition submitted by the investigation officer.

The case alleges that on 28-29 December 2013, Pasha, along with more than 100 named and 250 to 300 unidentified accused, blocked roads leading to Khaleda Zia's Gulshan residence using sand-laden trucks and other vehicles to prevent her from attending a political rally. The first information report (FIR) also alleges that pepper spray was used during the incident with the intent to kill the BNP chairperson, leaving her and several party leaders and activists injured.

Separately, DB Chief and Additional Commissioner Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman said Pasha was arrested at around 8:45pm yesterday (4 August) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after returning from Cox's Bazar.

Police said Pasha is also accused of fabricating documents and giving false testimony in the Zia Orphanage Trust case against Khaleda Zia.

According to police, he is additionally facing multiple other cases, including the murder of student Parvez during the July Uprising, the "Eagle Hunt" operation case in Chapainawabganj, the murder case of BNP leader Altaf Hossain in Kushtia, and a 2006 case over allegedly blocking the BNP central office in Banani with a sand-laden truck.

Police said legal proceedings against him are underway.