15 BNP leaders, activists sentenced to jail for political violence in 2012

A Dhaka court today sentenced 15 BNP leaders and activists, including its executive committee member Habibur Rashid Habib and Sabujbag unit leader Kamal Hossain, to 30 months' imprisonment in a case filed in the capital over political violence.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mainul Islam handed down the sentence in their absence at the courtroom.

Yesterday the magistrate cancelled bail of all the accused and issued arrest warrants against them as they were not present during the argument of the case.

The magistrate issued conviction warrants against the convicts and directed officer-in-charge of Sabujbag Police Station to execute the court order.

Earlier the magistrate recorded statements of four prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case.

According to the case statement, it was alleged that a group of BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of China Park under Khilgaon Flyover in the capital's Sabujbag area at 9:25am on December 9 of 2012 during a political programme. They torched a double decker BRTC bus, assaulted policemen and obstructed them from performing their duties.

Following the incident, driver of the bus Mohammad Hossain filed a case against 16 people, including Habib with Sabujbag Police Station in this regard.

After an investigation, Sub-Inspector Rawshan Ferdous submitted a charge sheet against Habib and 15 others on December 2 of 2013.

The court framed charges against them on January 10 of 2017.