Court orders BNP leader Fakhrul’s arrest over 2012 violence

A Dhaka court has issued an arrest warrant for acting BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a case related to violence during blockade.

Metropolitan Magistrate Yunus Khan gave the order on Sunday after a hearing of the case filed at the capital's Kadamtali Police Station over vandalism during a blockade enforced by the BNP-led opposition alliance in December 2012.

Police's Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Anisur Rahman told bdnews24.com that Fakhrul was primarily not named in this case but drafted later in the chargesheet.

Fiel Photo

The warrant was issued as the BNP leader did not surrender in court after the charges were pressed in court.

BNP spokesperson Fakhrul is currently in Singapore to get medical treatment.

He has been made accused in at least 36 cases over various charges including obstruction to police duty and vandalism which took place during general strikes and demonstrations as part of the BNP's movement.

Khaleda protests

Party chief Khaleda Zia has condemned the arrest warrant, dubbing it as a "conspiracy" against the BNP.

In a statement on Sunday night, the BNP chairperson said the move was "politically motivated".

She said it was part of the "illegal government's ploy to destroy the party".

Khaleda asked the government to withdraw the 'false case' against her party spokesperson.

She alleged the government was committing "crimes against humanity" to "create panic among the people".

The BNP chief claimed her party activists were implicated in these "false cases" as they were protesting against these atrocities.