Death threat to PM

HC asks four BNP leaders to surrender in six weeks

FE Report | August 07, 2019 00:00:00

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday asked four BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, to surrender in the trial court within six weeks in a case filed on charge of issuing death threat to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members.

The court also asked the law enforcers not to harass or arrest them by this time.

The three other BNP leaders are Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by the BNP leaders.

Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali and Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared in the court on behalf of the BNP leaders while Deputy Attorney General Md Rezaul Karim stood for the state.

AB Siddique, president of a pro-Awami League organistion Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, filed the case in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka on August 5 against BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and eight other leaders including the four.

The same day, Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Satyabrata Sikder issued arrest warrants for the BNP leaders including the four.

On Tuesday, they submitted a petition with the HC seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

In the case, the complainant alleged that Hafizur Rahman Rana, an expelled teacher of BUET, had sent him a letter on July 25 this year.

In the letter, the teacher threatened assassination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, family members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the complainant by Islamic State (IS) on August 15.

The letter also mentioned that the memorial complex of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be destroyed by bombing.

It was said that a new Bangladesh would be established under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the letter stated.

The complainant also appealed to the court to issue an arrest warrant against the accused for their alleged involvement in such offenses.