28 cases over clash centering BNP rally, most top leaders accused

A total of 28 cases have been filed over the incident of violence and death of policeman centering the BNP’s grand rally on 28 October. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been accused in several cases and most of the leaders of the party were named in one case or other.

The cases were filed on Sunday. Allegations of killing policeman, exploding cocktails with attempt to kill law enforcers, obstructing government work, vandalising the residence of the chief justice, arson, taking away the weapons of police have been bought in these cases.

Other than Mirza Fakhrul, the list of accused includes BNP leaders Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Zainul Abdin Farroque, Joynal Abedin, Ahmed Azam Khan, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Shahjahan Omar, Mahbub Uddin Khokon and many others.

Mirza Fakhrul has been shown arrested in the case filed with Ramna police station over vendalising the residence of the chief justice. He has been accused in accused in at least four cases including that of police killing.

Plaintiffs in most of the cases are police members. Other victims also filed some other cases.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) spokesperson Faruque Hossain confirmed Prothom Alo that 28 cases were registered in the city. One case has been filed in Ramna division of DMP, 11 in various police stations of Motijheel division, three in Wari, two in Tejgaon, seven in Mirpur, three in Gulshan and one in Uttara division.

According to the police, a total of 696 people have been arrested in the incident of violence on Saturday. Police arrested a total of 1,480 people in the capital in 8 days till Saturday. According to court sources, 475 people have been arrested in Dhaka in the previous 24 hours till 3:00pm yesterday.

Case statements of eight out of 28 cases have been found. A total of 2,136 people including BNP's central leaders, leaders of its associate bodies and unknown persons were made accused in these cases.

Mirza Fakhrul was sent to jail yesterday in the case filed in connection with attack on CJ’s residence in Kakrail. The case statement reads, 71 named and other unnamed accused persons came to BNP’s rally from different parts of the country. The top leaders of the party hold an illegal assembly in front of the chife justice’s residence carrying sticks, iron rod, brickbats, cocktails and other lethal weapons. They chanted various anti-government slogans.

The case statement also reads that the accused persons vendalised several buses, jeeps and pickup vans in front of the residence of the CJ. They also exploded cocktail to kill the policemen. They broke the gate of the residence and barged into the house premises. The accused persons vendalised parts of the building including its nameplate.

Police in the case statement said 42 people were arrested during the attack and they revealed during the interrogation that they carried out the attack at the behest of leaders of BNP and associate bodies.

Sub inspector Mostafizur Rahman filed a case with Shahjahanpur police station in which Mirza Fakhrul was made accused. The case was filed for attacking police, hurling crude bombs to police and obstructing government works.

BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas has been made prime accused in the case.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said filing of cases have been started over the clash, arson, vandalism, killing of police centering the BNP rally and many others will also more cases.

The minister made the remark while speaking with newsmen at his office yesterday morning.

The minister termed the whole incident as barbaric.

“Cases have started to be filed. Many will file case. Those who are affected will file cases. The police hospital authorities will file a case. The police will file a case,” the home minister said.

Replying to a question, the minister said, “Look, the incidents happened during their meeting. Can they avoid the responsibility?”  

After the BNP’s grand rally was foiled, the party’s secretary general that night issued a statement where he alleged that the government drew up a "master plan" to attack its rally after witnessing the massive gathering.