Staff Reporter :
The Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court has discharged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 76 others from a case filed under the Special Powers Act.
On Monday, Judge Sabbir Faiz of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court accepted the final police report and relieved the accused of all charges.
Besides Fakhrul, notable BNP leaders discharged in the case include Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Noman, Major (Retd.) Hafizuddin Ahmed, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Saiful Alam Nirab, and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku.
According to case documents, on December 12, 2019, the High Court was scheduled to hear a bail petition in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case involving BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. The previous evening, unidentified individuals allegedly set fire to motorcycles in front of the under-construction Bar Council gate in Shahbag.
Police later claimed that the incident was orchestrated to influence the court’s proceedings and exert pressure on the judiciary.
Sub-Inspector Shamsur Rahman of Shahbag Police Station subsequently filed a case under Sections 435/427/109/34 of the Penal Code and Section 15(1) of the Special Powers Act, 1974.
Following investigation, on May 10 of this year, the Investigating Officer recommended dropping charges against Mirza Fakhrul, several senior BNP leaders, and others.
The court today formally accepted the police’s final report, thereby discharging all 77 accused.
