11 including BNP, Jamaat leaders sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment

A Dhaka court today sentenced 11 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and their front organisations to 30 months' rigorous imprisonment each in a case filed over political violence.

All the convicts are ward-level leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat and their front organisations.

They are Md Ali Miah, Mofizur Rahman Maru, Md Ataur Rahman, Helal Dhali, Lalon Bepary, Babul Sheikh, Md Zakir Hossain, Zakir Hossain Bagmar, Ershad Ali Khan, Moizul Islam Dorji and Kazi Hazrat Ali.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Shafi Uddin pronounced the verdict in absence of all the accused, said bench assistant Gautam Chandra Das.

The magistrate fined them Tk 10,000 each, in default of which they will have to suffer three months more in jail.

Before delivering the judgement, the magistrate cancelled bail orders for the convicts and declared them "fugitives" as they remained absent submitting time through their lawyers.

The magistrate also issued conviction warrants against all the convicts and directed the officer-in-charge of Bhatara Police Station to execute the court order.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender, the magistrate said in his judgment.

During the trial, nine prosecution witnesses, including the complainant, gave their statements before the court.

According to the case statement, it was alleged that around 3:25am on September 5 of 2018, a group of leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami and their front organisations held a secret meeting at local Jamaat leader Md Ataur Rahman's residence in the capital's Bhatara area to worsen the law and order situation in the locality.

But sensing the presence of law enforcers, they fled the scene after blasting crude bombs. Police, however, caught one Ali Miah red-handed from the spot.

Following the incident, police filed a case against 23 people, including Ali Miah, with Bhatara Police Station.

After an investigation, police submitted a charge sheet against 11 people, including Ali Miah on May 31, 2019. The magistrate framed charges against them on August 21 this year.