Charges against Tuku framed

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Sultan Salauddin Tuku and 10 others for assaulting police and ransacking vehicles during a dawn-to-dusk hartal on November 14, 2010.
The court also issued an arrest warrant against Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Councillor Abul Khair alias Dablu and framed charge against him in absentia as he went into hiding since filing of the case.
After rejecting the discharge petitions submitted by Tuku and the others, Metropolitan Magistrate Joynab Begum of the Speedy Trial Court-8 passed the order and fixed May 3 for the trial.
The accused, now on bail, claimed themselves innocent and demanded justice before the court after the charges were read out to them.
The other accused are Nizam Makdum alias Masum, Moniruzzaman Dudu, Nizamuddin, Azmal Hossain Pilot, Abul Bashar Siddiqui, Shahjamal Khan, Towhidul Islam, Abu Hanif, Mohammad Rabiul Islam and Mohammad Selim.
According to the prosecution at about 6:30pm on November 14 last year, a group of 25 people led by Tuku and Khair assaulted sergeant Abul Bashar Akond and vandalised several vehicles at Russell Square in the city's Dhanmondi area during the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by the main opposition party BNP.
Police arrested ten picketers from the spot while Tuku and Khair fled the scene.