Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Wednesday issued warrants for the arrest of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 27 BNP-Jamaat men in a case filed over an arson attack on a bus at Jatrabari in the city during the BNP-led 20-party’s blockade on January 23 last year.

Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Mohammad Quamrul Hossain Molla passed the order after accepting the chargesheet against 38 people submitted by Jahidul Islam, sub-inspector of the Jatrabari Police.

The court also asked the officer-in-charge concerned of Jatrabari Police Station to submit a progress report about the order.

BNP leaders Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Salahuddin Ahmed and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah were among the warranted accused.

Of the 38 accused, nine BNP leaders, including MK Anwar, secured bail from the court earlier in the case.

On January 23 last year, at least 31 people suffered burn injuries after miscreants hurled two petrol bombs at a bus in Jatrabari intersection. One of the injured later died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Sub-inspector of Jatrabari Police Station KM Nuruzzaman filed two cases—one for killing and another for hurling petrol bombs—under the Special Powers Act on January 24, making Khaleda the mastermind of the attack.