Court indicts 65 Jamaat-e-Islami, Shibir men for Motijheel violence

A Dhaka court is all set to start trying 65 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir in a case over violence unleashed in 2012 in protests against the arrest of their leaders on charges of war crimes.

Court Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 April 2015, 02:21 PM
Updated : 30 April 2015, 02:21 PM

Metropolitan Speedy Trial Tribunal Magistrate Mohammad Tareque Moinul Islam Bhuyian indicted the accused on Thursday.
 
The trial will start with the recording of statements of the witnesses on Jun 10, according to defence lawyer SM Kamal Uddin.

Shibir is the student affiliate of Jamaat.
 
The accused include Jamaat Nayeb-e-Amir Mujibur Rahman, Publicity Secretary Tasmeem Alam, former MP from Khulna Mia Golam Parwar, former Shibir president Shasfiqul Islam Masud, Fakhruddin Manik and war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee, who has been sentenced to life term in jail.
 
On Nov 5, 2012 Jamaat, Shibir leaders and activists clashed with police at Dhaka’s business hub Motijheel after taking out a procession demanding the release of their leaders arrested on war crimes charges.
 
They vandalised and torched a number of vehicles, including a police van and a BRTC bus.
 
Motijheel Police Station Assistant Sub-Inspector Belayet Hossain filed a case in connection with the incident.
 
Sub-Inspector Mafizur Rahman pressed charges in court against the 65 Jamaat and Shibir adherents on Nov 13 the same year.
 
Their lawyer Kamal Uddin said police submitted four chargesheeets, naming all the 65 accused.
 
Another case against them under the Explosives Act in the same incident was awaiting trial, he added.