Political Violence: Two BNP vice chairmen jailed in 12-yr-old case

Two vice chairmen of BNP and 56 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists were sentenced to different jail terms yesterday in four cases filed in 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2018, over political violence in the capital.

The vice chairmen are Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

With the 58, at least 1,400 BNP-Jamaat activists have been jailed since November 7 this year in 82 cases lodged between November 2010 and December 2018 on charges of illegal gathering on the streets, rioting, damaging properties, arson attacks on vehicles, vandalism, and assaulting the law enforcers and obstructing them from discharging duties.

In a case filed with Gulshan Police Station in June 2011, a Dhaka court yesterday sentenced Altaf, also a former home minister, and Hafiz, along with former party leader Major (retd) Mohammad Hanif to 21 months' imprisonment, and another five BNP members to 42 months' imprisonment for illegal gathering and damaging vehicles.

Among the convicts, only Altaf attended the trial proceedings virtually from jail when Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury delivered the verdict.

The magistrate also acquitted 11 accused.

Seven prosecution witnesses testified during the trial.

According to the case statement, a group of leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations illegally gathered on the street in front of Mohakhali Wireless Gate Panir Tank area in Gulshan and obstructed police from conducting their duties. They also attacked the law enforcers and vandalised and torched vehicles.

Police filed a case with Gulshan Police Station in this connection the same day.

Altaf's lawyer Taherul Islam Tawhid said, "My client was not present at the scene. He was out of Dhaka at the time. We submitted the supporting documents before the court, but he was still convicted."

Also yesterday, 13 BNP members were jailed for 24 months on charges of political violence in Shahbagh in June 2017.

No convicts were present in the courtroom when Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saddam Hossain delivered the verdict.

Twenty-two others were acquitted.

Five prosecution witnesses testified before the court.

According to the case statement, on June 22, 2017, some 70 to 80 BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of the Jatiya Eidgah Masjid in Shahbagh to demand the withdrawal of graft cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

They threw brick chunks towards police and obstructed them from discharging duties.

Sub-Inspector Moinul Islam filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station following the incident.

Another Dhaka court yesterday sentenced 32 BNP-Jamaat members to 20 months' imprisonment over political violence in the Uttar Khan area in September 2018.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mosharrof Hossain pronounced the judgement in their absence, after five prosecution witnesses gave their statements.

The case statement said a group of BNP-Jamaat members illegally gathered on an open space beside Purbopara road in Uttar Khan on September 24, 2018, during a political programme.

They blasted crude bombs, threw brick chunks towards policemen and obstructed them from discharging their duties.

SI Monirujjaman Akanda filed a case with Uttar Khan Police Station in this regard.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saifur Rahman sentenced five Jamaat men for six months for illegal gathering and barring the law enforcers from discharging their duties on the street in front of Khalil Mansion in Paltan on November 1, 2014.

The court recorded statements of six prosecution witnesses in the case filed with Paltan Model Police Station.