18 more BNP men sentenced

Another 18 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations were sentenced to three years' imprisonment over political violence in the capital's Chawkbazar in 2019.

With this, at least 1,540 BNP-Jamaat activists have been jailed since November 7 this year in 92 cases lodged between June 2010 and December 2019 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.

Yesterday, only two convicts were present in the courtroom when Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Afnan Sumi delivered the verdict.

BNP's Dhaka south city unit joint secretary Anwar Pervej Badal, Jubo Dal joint general secretary Mir Newaj Ali, and its Chawkbazar unit convener Safa Karim Lucky Shah are among the convicts.

The court, however, acquitted Mir Ashraf Ali Ajam from the case as the charges framed against him were not proved.

During the trial, four prosecution witnesses testified before the court.

According to the case documents, on December 8, 2019, a group of leaders and activists of BNP brought out a protest procession in the Chawkbazar area, demanding release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

They then assaulted the law enforcers.

Following the incident, sub-inspector Gias Uddin filed a case with Chawkbazar Police Station.