The trial of BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has begun in a case related to leaked telephone conversations during the students' safe road movement.
Chittagong Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Muhammad Amirul Islam has ordered the trial to proceed, along with a complaint filed against a former Chhatra Dal leader implicated in the same case.
During the court proceedings held on Monday, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and another accused individual were present, said their lawyer Mofizul Haq Bhuiyan.
Mofizul Haq Bhuiyan said that the court has instructed the state party to start collecting evidence against the two by filing charges under Section 15 (3) of the Special Powers Act.
However, the court has postponed the determination of the specific timeframe for testimonies. Both accused individuals, who were out on bail, appeared in court.
Barrister Milhanur Rahman Naomi, a former Chhatra Dal leader from Comilla, is also implicated in the case alongside BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The accused's lawyer stated that during the case proceedings, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury was granted an exemption from personal appearance.
His legal representative submitted an application under Section 540 of the Criminal Procedure Code, requesting that he be represented by a lawyer instead.
The court approved the application, relieving Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury of the requirement to be physically present during the trial.
On July 29, 2018, two students from Shaheed Ramiz Uddin Cantonment School and College, Dia Khanom Mim and Abdul Karim Rajib, were killed when a bus ran over them on Airport Road near Kurmitola General Hospital in the capital. Subsequently, students from various schools and universities took to the streets to demand safer roads.
During the protests, a leaked phone conversation between Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Chhatra Dal leader Milhanur Rahman Naomi went viral on social media. The conversation allegedly encouraged the Chhatra Dal leader to mobilize supporters and join the protests in Dhaka.
On August 4 the following year, Chittagong Metropolitan Chhatra League General Secretary Zakaria Dastgir filed a case at Kotwali police station against BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The case was filed under Sections 57 (2) of the Information Technology Act and Section 15 (3) of the Special Powers Act, alleging attempted sabotage and conspiracy against the state through the use of electronic devices.
In the lawsuit, Zakaria Dastgir claimed that Amir Khasru's incitement caused disorder in the safe road movement. Consequently, the Awami League office in Dhanmondi was attacked.
In response to the police's appeal, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury surrendered to the lower court on October 21, 2018, after the expiration of the High Court's interim bail period, and he was incarcerated for over a month.
Milhanur Rahman Naomi, despite not being mentioned in the case statement, was also included as an accused in the case filed at Kotwali police station. He surrendered to a Chittagong court on November 26, 2018, and was sent to jail.
On December 22, 2021, Sub-Inspector (SI) Sanjay Guha of CMP's Counter-Terrorism Unit filed a charge sheet in the court after investigating the case filed at Kotwali police station.
The allegations made under the Information Technology Act were found to be factually incorrect and were referred to as “factual errors" in the charge sheet. However, the charge sheet submitted under the Special Powers Act points to evidence of involvement in planned conspiracies and hostile activities against the state and the government through telephone conversations.
Another case related to the incident has been registered at Shahbag police station, and the charge sheet has already been filed. The trial is currently underway, and it is expected to shed light on the involvement and implications of the leaked phone conversations during the road safety movement.
