No bail, again 33 opposition leaders stay in jail as Dhaka sessions judge's court too rejects petition in arson case

BANGLADESH NEWS

The Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka too rejected yesterday the bail petitions of BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 32 other top opposition leaders who are in jail since May 16.

On May 16, a metropolitan magistrate sent the leaders to jail, turning down their bail prayers in the case filed for torching a bus near the Prime minister's Office during hartal on April 29.

Apparently frustrated, the petitioner's counsels who include some senior jurists hinted that they would appeal to the High Court against the sessions court order.

Yesterday, Judge Mohammad Zahurul Haque of the sessions court rejected the 15 bail petitions of the 33 accused leaders.

The same court on May 17 rejected the bail petition of BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi who also is in jail in the same case.

BNP leaders yesterday alleged that the government is conspiring to keep the top opposition leaders away from participating in the next general election by convicting them under the Speedy Trial Act.

“But the conspiracy will not succeed and all the leaders will come out of jail through a mass upsurge,” opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque said while addressing a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, organised by Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal.

Moving the bail petitions yesterday, senior jurists like Rafiq-ul Huq, Moudud Ahmed, Aminul Haque and Zainul Abedin said their clients were implicated in the case to harass them politically. And at least four of the 

accused leaders including Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu were outside the capital on April 29, they added.

Rafiq-ul Huq told the court, "Most of them are former lawmakers, ministers and important persons of the country. People of such standing cannot run away, and it is clear that the case filed by the police is fabricated.”

Opposing the bail petitions, Metropolitan Public Prosecutor (PP) Abdullah Abu and Dhaka District PP 

Khandaker Abdul Mannan said the investigation officer of the case pressed charges against 45 accused since 

the charges brought against them were primarily proved. So, their bail petitions should be rejected.

On May 21, another Dhaka court accepted bus torching charges against Mirza Fakhrul and 44 other leaders 

and activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance. The court also sent BNP Joint Secretary General Mahbub Uddin Khokon,MP, another accused in the case, to jail after rejecting his prayer for extension of bail.

Jamaat-e-Islami acting Ameer Maqbul Ahmed and two others went into hiding after the case was filed.

The accused in the arson case filed by Tejgaon police on April 29 include BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul, Mirza Abbas and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Liberal Democratic Party President Oli Ahmed.