Fakhrul, others charged in court

Dhaka, May 31 on Thursday pressed charges in court against 29 senior opposition leaders over bomb explosions at the Bangladesh Secretariat during the Apr 29 shutdown.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution and Information) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Anisur Rahman told bdnews24.com that Detective Branch Inspector Tapan Chandra Shaha filed the charge sheet under the Explosives Act.

Senior Special Judge Mohammad Zahurul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court will hold a hearing on July 26 on whether to accept the charge sheet.

Most of the opposition 18-Party Alliance leaders, including BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, got bail from the High Court on May 14 until submission of police report in this case filed at the Shahbagh Police Station.

Two cocktails exploded inside the Secretariat, the seat of the civil administration, on Apr 29 during the countrywide general strike called by BNP-led alliance in protest against the disappearance of M Ilias Ali, one of the organising secretaries of the BNP.

Sub-Inspector Hirendranath Pramanik filed the case the same night accusing Mirza Fakhrul and 28 others.

Another case was filed with the Tejgaon Police Station for torching of a bus in front of the Prime Minister's Office during the shutdown.

Those who were accused in the case include BNP leaders Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, A S M Hannan Shah, Goyeswar Chandan Saha, Aman Ullah Aman, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Abdus Salam, Shahid Uddin Chowdhry Annie, Rehana Akhter Ranu, Syeada Asifa Ashrafi Papia, Shammi Akhter, Nilufer Yasmin Moni, Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, Kamruzzaman Ratan, Juba Dal leaders Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Saiful Alam Nirob, Mortajul Karim Badru, Swaechchasebak Dal leaders Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Chhatra Dal leaders Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Liberal Democratic Party President Oli Ahmed, Bangladesh Jatiya Party President Andaleeve Rahman Partho.

One Tofazzal Hossain Bhuiyan of Dhanmondi area was later named in the charge-sheet.

Currently, they are in Kashimpur Jail in another case filed under the Speedy Trial Act over charges of arson attacks during the Apr 29 shutdown.

According to the charge sheet, two unidentified youths riding a motorcycle hurled the bombs inside the Secretariat to create panic, cause damage to important government infrastructure and thwart democratic system. The attack was carried out on direct and indirect orders and provocation of the other accused and the their financial assistance.

The accused also helped the youths to collect the explosives, the charge sheet said.

Of the accused, 25 got bail from the High Court on May 14 in the blasts case.

In the arson case, police pressed charges against 45 opposition alliance leaders on May 10. Most of the arrested opposition leaders were sent to jail in that case. However, the High Court granted bail to five of the accused who are MPs on May 27.