Dhaka: In the last two months, 271 BNP leaders and activists have been sentenced to prison in 21 cases in the Dhaka court, according to Nationalist Lawyers Forum.
BNP Law Secretary and Nationalist Lawyers Forum Secretary General Barrister Kaiser Kamal gave this information in a written speech on Tuesday (November 21) at the South Hall of the Supreme Court Lawyers Association.
Forum President and former Attorney General AJ Muhammad Ali, Senior Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Badruddoza Badal, Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Abdul Jabbar Bhuiya, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Syed Mamun Mahbub and Jaglul Haider Afrik were present in the press conference.
In the written statement of the press conference, it is said that BNP leader Abu Taher Daya, who died 4 years ago, Sajedul Islam Sumon, who went missing 10 years ago, and Aminul Islam Zakir, who went missing 8 years ago, along with BNP joint secretary general Habib Un, were charged in four cases by two magistrate courts in Dhaka. Nabi Khan Sohail, Information Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, Volunteer Affairs Secretary Mir Sarafat Ali, former Jubo Dal President Saiful Alam Nirav, Jubo Dal President Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Volunteer Dal General Secretary Rajib Ahsan and 54 activists have been sentenced to prison.
In the last two months, 271 people of BNP have been sentenced to prison in 21 cases in Dhaka court. And in the last one year, 304 people have been sentenced in 29 cases.
Among the activists who have been sentenced are BNP Vice Chairman Mohammad Shahjahan, Advisor to BNP Chairperson Habibur Rahman (Habib), Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Joint Convener Abdul Alim (Naki), BNP Executive Committee Member Sheikh Rabiul Alam, Jubo Dal Organizing Secretary Ishaq. Govt.
Even Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Noore Alam Siddiqui (Sohag) was sentenced to two years on November 15 in a political harassment case.
In the written statement, it is also said that, as lawyers, we have found that in reviewing each case, there is no crime related to the convicted political activists. A criminal offense must be proved by evidence.
In the written statement, it is also said that in most of the cases only policemen have been presented as witnesses and sentenced. No neutral witness was called. Even the different levels of jurisdiction laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure were not followed. As a result, BNP leaders have been sentenced without following proper judicial process.
The leaders said that by sentencing the BNP leaders one after the other, we have repeatedly complained about the government’s undue interference in the judicial courts. According to the constitution, the saying ‘all citizens are equal’ no longer applies to BNP leaders and activists.
Bangladesh Time: 1850 hours, November 21, 2023
ES/RH
