Jubo Dal President Tuku among 25 jailed for obstructing police duty

The convicts allegedly blocked police and hurled brickbats at the law enforcers near the BNP’s office in 2017

A Dhaka court has sentenced Jubo Dal President Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and 24 other leaders of the BNP and its affiliates to two years in prison for obstructing police duty six years ago.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ataullah delivered the verdict in the absence of the accused on Monday, said defence lawyer Zakir Hossain Jewel.

The court also fined them Tk 5,000 each. Failure to pay will add another month to the sentence.

BNP Information Affairs Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, Joint Secretary General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, former Jubo Dal president Saiful Alam Nirob, Swechchha Sebak Dal Secretary Rajib Ahsan, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s former secretary Akramul Hasan Mintu, Habibur Rashid Habib and Jubo Dal Dhaka South unit President Enamul Haque Enam were among those convicted.

The court acquitted 12 people, including Jubo Dal’s organising secretary Ishaq Sarkar, as they were found not guilty.

According to the case dossier, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was scheduled to go to Feni via the party's central office in Naya Paltan on Oct 28, 2017.

When she went near the central office, the accused reportedly blocked police and hurled brickbats at the law enforcers.

Police Sub-Inspector Abul Kalam Azad filed a case over the incident and 40 people were formally charged in 2019. The court recorded depositions of five witnesses in the trial.