15 Jamaat leaders, activists indicted

A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against 15 Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists of Savar thana unit in a case filed against them for torching vehicles, halting traffic movement, and creating anarchy during demonstration this January.
Three of the accused--Nawsher Ali, Zakir Hossain and Kabir Hossain--all Jamaat workers, have been absconding since filing of the case, while the others are now on bail.
The twelve accused on bail were present at the court yesterday. They claimed themselves innocent and demanded justice after the charges were read to them.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Kazi Shahidul Islam fixed May 6 to open trial of the case.
On January 12, the accused brought out a procession at Savar Bazar Bus Stand and allegedly created anarchy while protesting an order to send former Jamaat ameer Ghulam Azam to jail.
Muhammad Rabiul Alam, sub-inspector of Savar Police Station, filed a case under the Speedy Trial (Law and Order Disruption) Act against those Jamaat leaders and activists.
The International Crimes Tribunal on January 11 sent Ghulam Azam to jail on charges of allegedly committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
The indicted Jamaat men include Mohammad Nurul Alam, principal of Jaban-e-Nur Madrassa in Savar; Towhid Hossain, principal of Savar Model College; Billal Hossain, a professor at the same college; Abdur Rahim, headmaster of Bapain New Model High School; Mohammad Hassan Mahbub, a teacher at Nayarhat Gonobidhyapith, and Mohammad Kaiser, a poultry-feed trader.
The other accused activists are Yusuf Ali, Mohammad Eklasuddin, Shahadat Hossain, Sohrabuddin Bulu, Mostafa Kamal, and Shakhawat Hossain.
Additional Public Prosecutor Anwarul Kabir Babul appeared for the state yesterday.