Mufti Izaharul Islam Chowdhury, Director General of the Lalkhan Bazar Madrasah in Chattogram and former chairman of the Islami Oikya Jote, has been acquitted in a militancy case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act 14 years ago.
Chattogram Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal judge Abu Hannan passed the verdict Monday.
Speaking about this, Public Prosecutor Abdus Sattar Sarwar told Prothom Alo in the afternoon that the prosecution witnesses failed to prove the charges against the accused. For this reason, the court has acquitted them.”
Alongside Mufti Izaharul Islam Chowdhury, seven other accused were also acquitted. They are: Mahfuzur Rahman, Abul Fattah, Abul Kalam, Salauddin Bhuiyan, Maulana Noman, Maulana Sabbir, and Abdullah Al Amin.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on 13 December 2010 claimed to have discovered a militant hideout in the hills of Godarpar in the Rubberbagan area of Raozan, Chattogram.
On that day, five persons were arrested at the scene along with religious books and other materials. Later, a case was filed under the Explosives Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act against Mufti Izahar and seven others, accusing them of militancy. The explosives case is still under trial.
Defence lawyer Abdus Sattar told Prothom Alo that the RAB fabricated the case as part of what he termed a “militancy drama” under the directive of the then Awami League government.
“However, no evidence or witness could substantiate the charges. That is why the court has acquitted the accused,” he added.