Just a month ahead of the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election, another 30 leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations were convicted in four separate cases by the court yesterday, Monday. None of them were in court when the sentence was passed.
The four cases were filed within 2013, 2016 and 2018 at the Hazaribagh, Rampura, Dhanmondi and Mugda police station of the capital. In these cases, the BNP men were accused of unlawful congregation, obstructing police duty, damaging and setting fire to vehicles and exploding crude bombs (locally called 'cocktails'). Most of those convicted by the court on Monday are thana and ward level leaders and activists.
Hazaribagh case
According to the details of the case filed by the police, leaders and activists of Jatiya Oikya Front, including BNP, had gathered in front of the New Bhai Bhai Hotel and Restaurant at 15 Staff Quarters Road in Hazaribagh on 6 November 2018 for a secret meeting to conspire against the government.
When the Hazaribagh police station sub-inspector (SI) Al Momen and others head of the meeting and arrived there, the leaders and activists exploded crude bombs. A case was filed against 51 leaders and activists in the incident and 20 persons were made witnesses in the chargesheet. The state prosecution brought four policemen as witnesses before the court.
The court sentenced 13 to two years' imprisonment each. The ruling was passed on Monday by Dhaka's CMM court magistrate Md Ataullah.
Rampura case
Three months before the 11th parliament election in 2018, the police filed a case against BNP leaders and activists at Rampura police station. The police stated in the case that around 100 to 150 leaders and activists of BNP on 30 September 2018 had been rallying in front of Malibagh Super Market, demanding the release of Khaleda Zia. They were carrying rods, sharp weapons, bricks and crude bombs.
BNP's international affairs secretary, lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukdar, told Prothom Alo that the leaders and activists were no receiving justice in these cases filed by the police.
The police submitted chargesheets against 15 in this case. Among the 14 witnesses, the state prosecution brought forward 4 members of the police as witnesses. In the ruling passes Monday, 14 of the accused were given two-year prison sentences each. The verdict was passed by magistrate of the CMM court Md Mainul Islam.
Dhanmondi and Mugda cases
Dhaka's CMM court magistrate Md Mainul Islam yesterday, Monday, sentenced two persons to two years imprisonment in a case filed on allegations of attacking members of the Dhanmondi police station on 11 May 2016.
The court sentenced one person to three years imprisonment all allegations of setting fire to a bus in Mugda thana on 17 November 2013. The ruling was passed by Dhaka's CMM court additional chief metropolitan magistrate Tofazzel Hossain.
Speaking to Prothom Alo about the conviction of party men, BNP's international affairs secretary, lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukdar, told Prothom Alo that the leaders and activists were no receiving justice in these cases filed by the police.