More than 200 BNP men sued in Cumilla

A case has been filed against more than two hundred leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Cumilla, including BNP Central Committee Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohail.

Chandina Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Tapas Das on Sunday filed the case on allegation that the BNP men obstructed government work and carried explosives during the party's road march programme on Saturday.

BNP central executive committee member Khandakar Maruf Hossain, son of BNP standing committee member Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, and Cumilla North District BNP Joint Convener and Chandina Upazila BNP President Atiqul Alam Shawon, General Secretary Kazi Arshad along with 36 leaders and activists of the district were named in the case. 

In addition, 170 unnamed activists of the party were accused. 

On Saturday (25 February) afternoon, the leaders and activists of Cumilla North District BNP and other organisations took a stand in the Daranipara area of Daudkandi upazila on Dhaka-Chittagong highway as part of BNP's countrywide road march.

Chandina Upazila BNP General Secretary Kazi Arshad told The Business Standard (TBS), "A scuffle broke out between police and our leaders and activists when police obstructed our peaceful march on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. As the situation escalated, the police opened fire and charged batons at us, leaving dozens of leaders and activists injured."

Chandina police station Officer-in-Charge Sahabuddin Khan said, "The case has been filed for the crime of obstructing government work, creating chaos on the highway and carrying explosives."

"We are trying to confirm the location of the accused and arrest them while investigating who else is involved in the incident," he said, adding that appropriate action will be taken after investigation.