Attack on Khaleda Zia’s motorcade: 'Hatkata' Kashem sent to jail

A Dhaka court has sent Tejgaon Thana unit Sramik League president Md Abul Kashem Patowary, widely known as "hatkata" Kashem, to jail in a case filed over an attack on BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s motorcade in 2015.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Albiruni Mir passed the order on Tuesday (August 18) after rejecting Kashem’s bail petition. He was arrested from the Karwan Bazar area of the capital on Monday.

According to the case statement, Khaleda Zia’s motorcade came under attack on April 20, 2015, near the BAPEX building in Karwan Bazar while she was campaigning for BNP mayoral candidate Tabith Awal in the Dhaka North City Corporation election.

A case was filed with Tejgaon Police Station on August 22, 2024, by Bellal Hossain, general secretary of BNP’s Dhaka North City unit Ward 26, accusing 113 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Other accused include former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Tejgaon Thana Awami League president Abdur Rashid, its general secretary Shamim Hasan and former Dhaka North City Chhatra League president Syed Mizanur Rahman.

Kashem was produced before the court on Tuesday following his arrest and was sent to jail after the court denied his bail.