BNP leader Ishraque sent to jail over treason

A Dhaka court on Sunday sent BNP‍‍`s International Affairs Committee member and former mayoral candidate of Dhaka South City Corporation, Ishraque Hossain, to jail by rejecting his bail petition in a case filed on charges of committing treason, reports UNB.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad As-Shams Joglul Hossain issued the order as Ishraque Hossain appeared before the court seeking bail in the case, said his lawyer Taherul Islam Tauhid.

On October 29, Mohiuddin Shikder filed a case with Paltan Police Station, accusing Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy, who claimed to be an advisor to US President Joe Biden, Ishraque, and retired Lieutenant General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardi of attempting to destabilize the country by resorting to lies.

Tauhid stated that his client, Ishraq, had secured bail for six weeks once already in the case. "As that period was about to end, he applied for bail in court again."

Tauhid further mentioned that the BNP leader applied for permanent bail in twelve cases, including the one with Paltan Thana. "The court granted bail in all cases except this one and ordered him to be sent to jail."

According to the case statement, during a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on October 28 last year, Arefy recommended the US government to impose bans on various governmental departments and claimed to have frequent contact with President Biden.

The plaintiff also alleged that Ishraque and Suhrawardi endorsed Arefy‍‍`s speech, inciting chaos to disturb the peace in the country.