Attack on Newsmen, Office on Court Premises
15 BNP men jailed in Lalmonirhat
A Lalmonirhat court yesterday sentenced 15 leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies to jail in the case for attacking newsmen and vandalising on office on the judge's court premises in August last year.
Judge Mehdi Hasan Mondol of Judicial Magistrate's Court-3 also fined the convicts Tk 5,00 each, in default, to suffer six more months in jail.
Of the convicts, Mehedi Hasan Jewel, general secretary of BNP ward No 3, and Anisur Rahman Anis, general secretary of Chhatra Dal district unit, were sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment (RI) each.
The rest 13 were sentenced to three years RI each. They are Aditmari upazila BNP General Secretary Aminul Islam, Joint Secretary Habibur Rahman, Jubo Dal Lalmonirhat municipal unit President Zahedul Islam Khokon, District Jubo Dal Sports Secretary Zakir Hossain, Organising Secretary of Sadar upazila Jubo Dal Shahadat Hossain, Vice-President of Aditmari upazila Jubo Dal Shamsul Alam Bokul, and district Jubo Dal activists Sumon Ahmed, Mojidul Islam, Kajol Miah, Mawla Haque, Milon Islam, Rashidul Islam and Nurnobi.
The court acquitted three BNP men as charges brought against them could not be proved. They are Mokhlesur Rahman Babul, Shafiqul Islam and Rashedul Haque.
According to the prosecution, leaders and activist of BNP and its associate bodies on August 5 last year chased three local journalists on the judge's court premises as they went there to collect news on a case filed against some BNP men after a hartal in the town.
When the journalists took shelter in the office room of Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Sofura Begum Rumi, the BNP men attacked the room and vandalised its door and windows. Police rushed to the spot and rescued the newsmen.
APP Sofura Begum Rumi, also the general secretary of Lalmonirhat Lawyer Association, filed a case against 22 BNP men with Lalmonihat Sadar Police Station the same day.
Investigation Officer (IO) Mahbubul Hasan submitted the charge sheet against 18 of the 22 BNP men to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on August 16 last year.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments