Charges pressed against Fakhrul over 2015 violence

Police today pressed charges against BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 52 other leaders and activists of the party in two violence cases of last year.

Paltan police pressed two separate charge sheets before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court. Investigators appealed for arrest warrants against the accused.

This was the first time; charge sheets have been submitted against Fakrul in the cases filed in the capital in connection with violence of January 2015.

At least 95 people were killed and hundreds were injured, mostly in mindless arson attacks on public transports in first three months of 2015 when BNP-led 20 party alliances enforced indefinite blockade.

Around 400 cases have been filed against 20-party alliance’s leaders and activists in charges last year’s violence in Dhaka, Joynal Abedin Meshbah, a lawyer told The Daily Star.

Police pressed charges against Fakhrul and 39 others in the first case filed over January 4 arson near Azad Products Ltd in Paltan.

In the second case, charges were pressed against Fakhrul and 52 others for setting a fire to a motorbike of policeman in front of Hotel Bakshi in the Fakirapool on January 5.