Dhaka court accepts charges against nine

A Dhaka court yesterday accepted the charges brought against nine accused in a case filed over the attack on former US ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat's convoy in August 2018.

The accused are Firoz Mahmud, Naimul Hasan Rasel, Mir Amzad Hossain Akash, Sazu Islam, Razibul Islam Razu, Shahidul Alam Khan Kajol, Mozahid Azmi Tanna, Siam and Oli Ahmed Jony.

Of them, Firoz is on the run, while the other accused have secured bail on different dates, after the charge sheet was submitted.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mainul Islam passed the order, after scrutinising case dockets and other relevant documents in the case.

The magistrate also issued arrest warrant against Firoz, and directed the officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station to submit -- by April 27 -- the report on the warrant's execution.

On January 20, after around two and a half years of investigation, Md Abdur Rouf, inspector of Detective Branch (DB) of police and also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka against nine local leaders and activists of Awami League and Chhatra League.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of civil society platform Shusashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) filed the case with Mohammadpur Police Station in the capital on August 10, 2018, following the attack.

On August 4, 2018, the nine accused along with some 15 to 20 unidentified people gathered near the Iqbal Road residence of Badiul Alam and chased the car of Marcia Bernicat.

The accused then threw brick chips at her car, the probe report said.

Later, the accused vandalised the house of the complainant and made death threats to his wife and son, according to the charge sheet.