45 more cases against AL men to be withdrawn

The metropolitan public prosecutor (MPP) yesterday recommended withdrawal of 45 more cases filed against Awami League (AL) leaders and activists, considering those 'politically motivated' and meant for 'harassment'.
MPP Mohammad Abdullah Abu made the recommendation after scrutinising the case dockets and documents, sources said.
The accused in the cases include former state minister for planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former lawmaker HBM Iqbal and Sheikh Abdullah, AL religious affairs secretary.
The cases were filed during BNP-led four-party rule, and the last caretaker government's tenure.
The MPP also asked the authorities to send the cases to the district magistrate of Dhaka for his opinion on withdrawal.
Earlier on different dates, the MPP had recommended withdrawal of over 335 cases against Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina and others including Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Home Minister Sahara Khatun.
On receipt of recommendations from the MPP on those cases, the district committee headed by the DM reviewed the case documents and sent those to the home ministry for its decision.
The ministry decided to withdraw over 174 cases against Sheikh Hasina and other leaders. But it rejected the petitions for withdrawal of 25 cases as those were filed on charges of theft, robbery, murder and rape.
And 136 cases await the home ministry's decision.
Meanwhile, the government is yet to decide withdrawal of any cases filed against BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and her family members. They had earlier submitted petitions for withdrawal of 20 cases.
Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda Zia and many other political leaders had petitioned for withdrawal of 2,781 cases filed against them.