bdnews24.com
A Dhaka court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of BNP’s Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in two separate shutdown violence cases.
On completion of hearing on the bail petitions, vacation bench judge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge’s Court Justice Mohammad Helaluddin pronounced the verdict.
The hearing on the bail petitions ended earlier in the day.
The BNP leader was represented by Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Advocate Sanaullah Mia.
At the hearing, Rafiqul Islam Mia argued that it was absurd that Fakhrul would attempt to vandalise a vehicle as he was always accompanied by the media wherever he went. “They (media) surely would have reported it.”
The pro-BNP lawyer alleged that ‘political harassment’ was the sole motive behind the case.
However, the Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu argued against the bail, saying Fakhrul led the mob that was engaged in vandalism.
He had filed two separate petitions seeking bail in the two cases at the Sessions Judge’s Court on Dec 18.
One case was filed at the Paltan Police Station by Mohammad Aynal, a driver of Dhaka City Corporation, accusing Fakhrul of vandalism on a corporation vehicle during the Dec 9 blockade programme. BNP Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was also among over 200 people accused in the case.
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Sub Inspector Ruhul Amin filed the other case charging Fakhrul with vandalism, causing obstruction to police in performing their duty and attempt to murder.
A total of 38 cases were filed in the capital during the recent BNP-sponsored road blockade over vandalism and arson. Fakhrul was accused in almost all the cases.
He was arrested near the BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan on Dec 10 and charged in two cases of violence during the party-enforced recent strikes.
Police produced him in court the next day and sought his remand. A Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court rejected the remand request and also Fakhrul’s plea for bail and he was sent to jail.
He is currently lodged in Kashimpur jail in Gazipur. This is second time this year that the BNP leader has been sent behind bars.
