Police said the charge sheet was submitted before the District and Sessions Judges' Court, Dhaka after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police completed investigations in line with a case filed after the BNP-led four-party coalition government came to office.

A police officer told the official news agency that a special directive has been issued to launch a drive to arrest the absconding accused in the case from last night.

Police said the "assassination plot" came to surface after they arrested and interrogated Sheikh Selim, now on bail, following a complaint lodged with police on January 14, 2002 and the CID was asked to investigate the case.

The convoy of the then leader of the opposition in the parliament Khaleda Zia came under armed attack in Keraniganj area when she was on way to the southern region on a political tour, according to the complaint.

The charge sheet alleged that Sheikh Selim masterminded the attack with a motive to kill Khaleda Zia.

Former upazila chairman of Keraniganj Mahbubur Rahman has also been accused in the case.

BNP sources earlier alleged that police refused to lodge the complaint after the attack at the order of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina and home minister Mohammad Nasim.