Attack on Tabith: Banani OC, 15 AL men sued

BNP executive committee member Tabith Awal yesterday sued Banani Police Station officer-in-charge Nure Azam Miah and 15 leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organisations on charge of attacking him in a protest rally in the capital's Banani last September.

Tabith, former DNCC mayoral candidate, also accused 20-30 unnamed policemen of Banani Police Station in the case filed with Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court under section 15 (1) and (3) of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prohibition) Act.

Judge Md Asaduzzaman recorded the complainant's statements and set today to decide whether the case would be dismissed or sent for investigation, Additional Public Prosecutor Tapash Kumar Pal told The Daily Star.

Dhaka Metropolitan North unit AL's vice-president Kader Khan, its former vice-president Jasim Uddin, former general secretary Mir Mosharraf Hossain and joint general secretary Amzad Hossain are among the accused.

In the complaint, Tabith mentioned that at 7:00pm on September 17, a large number of leaders and activists took part in a programme with candles on the footpath on one side of Kamal Ataturk Avenue in Banani, organised by the Dhaka Metropolitan North unit of BNP.

The programme was arranged to protest the price hike of essentials and fuel, and the death of its activists during the recent protests in Bhola and Narayanganj.

Over 200-300 leaders and activists of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League being instructed by the 15 leaders and activists, including Kader Khan, were marching on the other side of the road before their programme started.

They also attacked him and others when the speech of the chief guest of the programme, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, was almost in the final stage.

In the attack, he along with many leaders and activists was seriously injured, Tabith alleged in his complaint.

Following the attack, Tabith was taken to United Hospital in Dhaka's Gulshan-2 for treatment. Others injured got treatment at different hospitals.