A court has sentenced BNP’s joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and seven others to three years in jail in a case filed over arson in a passenger bus some 10 years ago.

Magistrate Mohammad Jashim of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court passed the verdict on Sunday.

Alal’s lawyer Taherul Islam confirmed the development.

The other convicted persons are Jubo Dal’s former president Saiful Alam Nirob, Chhatra Dal’s former president Abdul Qader Bhuiyan (Jewel), BNP’s central executive committee member Obaidul Haque Nasir, BNP leaders Harun Or Rashid, Shahidul Haque, Ibrahim and Dhaka city south’s secretary Shafiqul Islam (Masud).

Lawyer Taherul Islam said police filed a case with Dhanmondi police station over arson in a passenger bus in the city’s Dhanmondi Satmasjid Road on 1 December in 2013.

The police submitted the charge sheet against Alal and seven others on 15 December in 2014. A total of seven out 17 witnesses of the state gave their deposition in the court in the case.

Alal and Nirob were brought to the court from the jail before the verdict was announced. The court issued arrest warrants against six others who are absconding.

A court on Thursday sentenced former home minister and BNP vice chairman air vice marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and another vice chairman major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed to 21 months in prison.

Earlier, the party’s joint secretary general Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, vice chairman Mohammad Shahjahan, BNP chairperson’s advisor Habibur Rahman and many other central leaders were sentenced.