Political violence: 46 more BNP men jailed for different terms
Court Correspondent :
More 31 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations were sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) on Wednesday in two cases filed in 2018 in connection with political violence in the capital.
With this, at least 1,096 BNP-Jamaat activists have been imprisoned since November 7 this year in 64 cases filed between June 2011 and December 2018 on charges of illegal gathering on the streets, rioting, damaging properties, arson attacks on vehicles, vandalism and assaulting police and obstructing them from discharging duties.
On Wednesday, 19 BNP leaders and activists were given two years’ imprisonment in a case filed with Paltan Model Police Station in February of 2018.
Of the convicts, Rafiqul Alam Majnu, Member Secretary of BNP’s Dhaka South City unit, and Saiful Alam Nirob, former Jubo Dal President, were present at the courtroom when Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mainul Islam delivered the verdict.
BNP Joint Secretary General Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel, Executive Committee member Mashiur Rahman Biplob, former JCD President Razib Ahsan and BNP’s Savar Municipality unit President Kazi Md Refat Ullah are among the convicts.
During the trial, five prosecution witnesses testified in the court.
According to the case statement, on February 1, 2018, about 40-50 leaders and activists of BNP and its allies illegally gathered on the street in front of Ananda Bhaban Community Centre in Paltan area.
They blasted three to four crude bombs, which caused panic among people and prevented police from carrying out their duties.
On the same day, Sub-Inspector Arshad Hossain filed a case with Paltan Model Police Station.
Besides, 12 BNP activists were imprisoned for two years in another case filed with Badda Police Station about damaging properties in December 2018.
No convicts were present in the courtroom when Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ataullah delivered of Dhaka pronounced the verdict.
In another development, a Dhaka court on Wednesday framed charges against BNP leader Aman Ullah Aman and 212 others in two cases lodged in November 2013 and June 2017 over political violence in Keraniganj area.
The cases were filed with Keraniganj Model Police Station on the charges of blasting crude bombs, damaging properties, torching vehicles, vandalizm, and assaulting police and obstructing them from performing duties.
Aman, Convener of Dhaka North City unit BNP, is now in jail in the cases, while 170 others, now on bail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of AKM Rakibul Hasan read out the charges to them.
The court set January 2 to start trial in the cases.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday sentenced 15 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organizations to six months’ imprisonment in a case filed over the political violence of 2013 in the capital.
Former ward Councilor of Dhaka City Corporation Md Mohon and Jubo Dal’s Central Committee organizing Secretary Ishaq Ali Sarker were among the convicts.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sultan Sohag Uddin of Dhaka declared the verdict in presence of two accused- Faizuddin Ilias Faizul and Yakub who were in the courtroom.
The other convicts were absent, and they were taking steps through their lawyers for different reasons.
Before pronouncement of the verdict, the court rejected their bails, declared them fugitives, and came up with the verdict.
The court also issued conviction warrants against the fugitives and directed the Officer-in-Charge of Bangshal Police Station to comply the order of the court.
Besides, the court exempted 47 others as their involvement with the incident was not proved the trial process.
The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender to the court, said the court in his judgment.
Earlier, the prosecution and the defense completed their arguments and the court recorded statements of 16 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.
According to the case docket, a group of people led by Mohon and Ishaq gathered in front of Nawab Yusuf Super Market in the city’s Bangshal area around 10:30 am on November 27 of 2013 at a political programme.
Later, they blasted crude bombs, torched vehicles and assaulted policemen and obstructed them from discharging their duties. Following the incident, police filed a case against Mohon, Ishaq and 63 others with Bangshal Police Station in connection with the incident.
After investigation, police submitted the charge sheet of the case against Mohon, Ishaq, Yakub and 59 others on April 27 of 2014.
