7 Shibir men jailed for 20 yrs for possessing bombs

A Rangpur court yesterday sentenced seven activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, to 20 years' imprisonment for possessing crude bombs and bomb making materials.  

They are Ahsan Habib, Mostafa Kamal, Mehedy Hasan Sourav, Robiul Islam, Monowar Hossain, Jamidul Islam and Moinul Islam.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Abu Jafar Md Kamruzzaman also fined them Tk 10,000 each. In default, they are to suffer another one year in jail.

Of the convicts, Mehedy, Robiul, Monowar, Jamidul and Moinul were tried in absentia, said Ainunnahar Papri, public prosecutor.

On March 18 in 2013, informed that the seven Shibir men were planning subversive activities in the district ahead of the hartal on the day and the following day, police arrested Habib and Mostafa from a mess in the city.

The law enforcers also seized crude bombs and huge bomb making materials from the possession fromthe arrestees, according to the prosecution.

However, five of their companions managed to flee the scene, sensing the presence of the law enforcers.

 Later, Moktarul Islam, sub-inspector of Rangpur Kotwali Police Station, filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act on the same day.

After investigation, police submitted charge sheet against the Shibir activists.

After examining witnesses and evidence, police found them guilty and pronounced the verdict.