28 BNP leaders-activists indicted in sabotage case
Around 526 BNP leaders were sentenced to disqualify them from the upcoming elections, Rizvi alleges
A Dhaka court framed charges against 28 BNP men, including its Publicity Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, in a sabotage case filed in 2018.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ali Haider passed the order in the presence of the accused.
The court also fixed 6 December to start recording the deposition of the witnesses.
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In February 2018, a case was filed with the Paltan police station against the BNP leaders and activists for carrying out subversive activities, including unauthorised rallies and obstructing police from discharging their duties.
Later, police submitted a charge sheet against them after conducting the probe.
526 leaders sentenced to abstain from polls: Rizvi
Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government has been systematically sentencing BNP leaders in the last couple of months to disqualify them from participating in the upcoming election.
"The government has initiated trials in cases filed in 2014-15 to ensure that no one receives a sentence of more than two years, rendering them ineligible to contest the next election," he said, adding that a total of 526 BNP leaders have been sentenced during the aforesaid period ahead of the election.
Among central BNP leaders, Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel, Azizul Bari Helal, Mir Sarafat Ali, Saiful Islam Nirob, Mohammad Shahjahan, Habibur Rahman (Habib), Abdul Alim (Naki), Sheikh Rabiul Alam, Abdul Quader Jewel, Rajib Ahsan, Ishaq Sarkar have been sentenced.
Last Saturday, Rizvi said, "The government is selectively targeting active leaders of the BNP, including potential electoral candidates, as part of a broader effort to suppress dissent and stifle opposition."
According to BNP office data, over 435 new sabotage cases have been filed against party leaders-activists since 28 October, and around 20,000 leaders and workers were sued in such types of cases after the announcement of the election schedule.
Moreover, 13 new cases have been filed against party men in the last 24 hours alone.
BNP and Jamaat have claimed that around 20,000 activists of their parties have been arrested since 28 October, with 20 fatalities, including a journalist. Moreover, over 415 activists have been arrested in the last 24 hours alone.
