96 Jamaat-Shibir men indicted over vandalism in 2012

A Dhaka court today framed charges against 96 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir in a case filed over torching vehicles and preventing police personnel from discharging their duties in 2012.

Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, a former lawmaker from Khulna-5, are among the accused.

Shafiqur Rahman and Golam Parwar, now in jail, and 78 others, who are on bail, pleaded not guilty to the changes and demanded justice after Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saiful Islam read out the charges to them.

Before that, the magistrate dismissed the petitions submitted by the accused for relieving them of the charges.

Eighteen other accused have been on the run since the case was filed against them. Charges were framed against them in their absence. The magistrate issued arrest warrants against them, said Assistant Public Prosecutor Hemayet Uddin Khan.

The magistrate fixed September 17 for starting trial of the case.

According to the case statement, a group of leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir, led by Golam Parwar, held a rally in front of Hotel Motijheel around 10:00am on November 5 of 2012 to protest the arrest of their central leaders. At one stage, they vandalised several vehicles and torched two motorbikes.

Following the incident, Mizanur Rahman Sumon of Chandpur's Hajiganj filed a case against 62 named people, including Golam Parwar, with Motijheel Police Station.

After an investigation, Sub-Inspector Awal Hossain, also the investigation of the case, on September 30 of 2013 submitted the charge sheet against Golam Parwar and 96 others over their alleged involvement in the incidents.