Court accepts chargesheet against local councillor over attack on Bela chief Rezwana in Ctg

A Chattogram court has accepted the chargesheet against local councillor Zahurul Alam Jasim in connection with the attack on Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan in the port city.

Chattogram Metropolitan Court Judge Shariful Islam accepted the chargesheet on Wednesday (30 August). As a result, Jasim can be dismissed from the post of councillor as per the Local Government Act.

Earlier on 30 May, Akbar Shah police station Investigating Officer Zahed Ullah Zaman submitted the charge sheet to the court.

Advocate Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, the plaintiff's lawyer, told The Business Standard, "Police filed a charge sheet in the court after the allegations against councillor Jasim were initially found to be true. As he is accused of criminal offences, action can be taken against him as per the Local Government Act."

Previously, on 26 January, Bela Chief Executive Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan and some journalists visited the North Pahartali ward in the city's Akbar Shah area for an on-site inspection regarding hill cutting, canal filling and encroachment.

At the time, Jasim and his followers seized Rizwana Hasan's car and held the driver and a journalist named Shafiq hostage. Later, two teams of Akbar Shah police station went there and freed them along with the car.

However, on the way back, the car carrying Rizwana Hasan was attacked and stoned by Jasim's followers.

On the same day, Syeda Rizwana Hasan filed a case against six people including Jasim over the incident.