A Barisal court has sent 21 accused, including 10 Awami League-backed Barisal City Corporation (BCC) councillors, to jail for ransacking and burning the BNP office in the city.
On Tuesday at 12 noon, 22 accused, including 11 former councillors, appeared before the Barisal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court after completing a 4-week anticipatory bail period granted by the High Court.
The 22 who surrendered included 11 former Barisal City Corporation councillors: Samjidul Kabir Babu, Samsuddoha Abid, Awal Molla, Kefayed Hossain Roni, Khan Mohammad Hossain, Joynal Abedin, Md. Zainal Abedin Howladar, Anwar Hossain Royal, Enamul Haque Bahar, Humayun Kabir, and Ziaul Haque Masum.
Judge Ashraf Uddin rejected their bail plea and ordered 21 of the accused to be sent to jail. However, Samjidul Kabir Babu, the former councillor of Ward No. 15, was granted bail on medical grounds due to illness.
Confirming the matter, the plaintiff's lawyer, Hafiz Ahmed Bablu, said that on August 4, 22 accused had appeared in court and applied for bail in connection with three cases, including charges of vandalism and arson at the district and metropolitan BNP offices on Sadar Road in Barisal city, as well as attacks on leaders and members of the anti-discrimination student movement.
After hearing the lawyer's statement, the court sent 21 of the accused to jail. However, the police did not request remand, as the accused had already obtained bail from the High Court.
Afzalul Karim, vice-president of the Metropolitan Awami League and the defence lawyer, said that an appeal would be filed in the High Court against the directive of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court.
On August 4, the district and metropolitan BNP offices in Barisal were vandalized, attacked, and set on fire. In connection with this incident, on August 23, City BNP convenor Moniruzzaman Khan Farooq filed a case at Kotwali Model Police Station, naming 381 accused, with an additional 600-700 unnamed individuals.
Among those named, Former State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Farooq Shamim and District Chhatra League President Hemayet Uddin Sumon Serniabat have already been arrested and are currently in jail.