The BNP vice chairman, who returned to Bangladesh two days ago, was sentenced to 21 months in prison in a sabotage case
Published : 05 Mar 2024, 02:02 PM
A Dhaka court has scrapped the bail of BNP Vice Chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed, who was sentenced to 21 months in prison in a 2011 sabotage case.
Hafiz had returned to Bangladesh from abroad only two days ago.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury made the decision on Tuesday.
Hafiz, who was in a wheelchair, surrendered to the court on Tuesday morning and petitioned for bail through his lawyer Taherul Islam Touhid.
Following the hearing, Hafiz was sent to jail by the judge.
Hafiz returned to Dhaka after two months on Sunday following surgery on his knee in Delhi. He was to appear before the court on that day, but Hafiz was unable to attend the hearing after delays at the airport.
On Dec 28, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh sentenced Hafiz, BNP Vice Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, and six others to various terms in prison over a sabotage case filed at Gulshan Police Station. Another 11 suspects were acquitted.
Altaf, Hafiz, and former BNP leader Md Hanif were sentenced to 21 months in prison and fined Tk 5,000 on two charges. A failure to pay the fine will add another month to their prison sentences.
Altaf petitioned the court of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge for bail and was freed. As Hafiz was in Delhi for his knee surgery, he could not attend the court hearings.
The case details allege that on Jun 4, 2011, the suspects held an illegal rally in front of the Mohakhali Wireless Gate water tank in the Gulshan Thana area, attacking police and barring their work. They also vandalised vehicles on the road and set fire to them.
On Apr 29, 2014, Gulshan Police Station Sub Inspector Kamrul Hassan Talukder submitted the chargesheet in the case. On Apr 25, 2022, the court indicted the suspects.
The court delivered its verdict after hearing the testimony of seven of 12 witnesses.