A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed Md Abul Kashem Patwari alias “Hatkata” Kashem on a five-day remand in a case filed over an attack on the motorcade of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and an alleged attempt to kill her.

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 Ariful Islam passed the order after a hearing, state prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon confirmed.

Earlier, on 17 August, Kashem was arrested from the Karwan Bazar area of the capital and, the following day, was sent to jail.

Later, on 20 August, Tejgaon Police Station Inspector Abdul Hannan, also the investigation officer of the case, sought seven days’ remand to interrogate the accused.

According to the case statement, Khaleda Zia joined the election campaign of BNP mayoral candidate Tabith Awal for the 2015 Dhaka North City Corporation election on 20 April 2015.

It is alleged that leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations attacked her motorcade in front of the BAPEX building in Karwan Bazar with the intention of killing her.

Bellal Hossain, general secretary of Ward No. 26 of BNP’s Dhaka North City unit, filed the case on 22 August 2023 against 113 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.