BNP, Jamaat leaders sentenced to 30 months‍‍` imprisonment along with 11 others

A Dhaka court today sentenced 11 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami officials and activists, together with their front organizations to severe imprisonment for 2 years and 6 months  in a case regarding political violence.

All of the convicts are leaders and activists of the BNP, Jamaat, and their front groups at the ward level.

They are Md Ali Miah, Mofizur Rahman Maru, Md Ataur Rahman, Helal Dhali, Lalon Bepary, Babul Sheikh, Md Zakir Hossain, Zakir Hossain Bagmar, Ershad Ali Khan, Moizul Islam Dorji and Kazi Hazrat Ali.

Bench assistant Gautam Chandra Das said that Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Shafi Uddin gave the verdict without the presence of all the the accused.

The magistrate penalized them each Tk 10,000, failing which they would be imprisoned for another three months.

The magistrate terminated the convicts‍‍` bail orders and designated them "fugitives" as they remained absent while submitting time through their lawyers.

The magistrate also issued conviction warrants for all of the accused and asked the officer-in-charge of Bhatara Police Station to carry out the court order.

According to the magistrate‍‍`s decision, the fugitives‍‍` punishment will begin on the day they are arrested or surrendered.

During the trial, nine prosecution witnesses, including the complainant, testified in court.

The case statement claims that on September 5, 2018, around 3:25 a.m., a number of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists, along with their front organizations, met in secret at the residence of local Jamaat leader Md Ataur Rahman in the Bhatara area of the capital with the intention of worsening the law and order situation in the locality. 

However, fearing the arrival of police enforcement, they fled the spot after exploding crude bombs. However, police caught Ali Miah red-handed from the spot.

Following the incident, police filed a case with Bhatara authorities Station against 23 persons, including Ali Miah.

On May 31, 2019, police filed charges against 11 persons, including Ali Miah, following an investigation. On August 21 of this year, the magistrate filed accusations against them.