Final police reports have been submitted in 228 cases filed over vandalism, obstruction of government work, looting and arson during the student movement in the capital.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka accepted the final reports and released 3,058 accused, including leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Incidents of vandalism, looting and arson took place at different places in the capital city of Dhaka from July 13 during the countrywide student movement.
A total of 290 cases were filed in the capital over these incidents between July 17 and August 5. Thousands of BNP-Jamaat leaders, activists, students and local people were made accused in these cases. Over 3,000 accused in the cases were arrested and sent to jail till August 5. Among the 290 cases, 62 were filed over murder incidents. Final reports were submitted in 228 cases, excluding the 62 cases over murder.
Fakhruzzaman Jewel, Additional Deputy Police Commissioner of the Prosecution Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed this to the Bangladesh Post.
An interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus was formed three days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on August 5.
After the interim government assumed office, a decision was made to withdraw the cases filed during the student movement by August 31. Following the decision, final reports were submitted in the cases and the accused were released from jail.
According to court sources, the investigating officer of each case mentioned in their final reports that the arrested accused were not involved in the incidents. Even the individuals named in the FIR were not found involved in any incidents during the investigation.
The final reports stated that unidentified miscreants carried out the criminal activities during the student movement.
Since they could not be identified, the top authorities recommended that final reports in the cases be submitted instead of keeping the investigation pending. Therefore, final reports were submitted, and it was recommended that the arrested and FIR-named accused be discharged.
Court sources, however, said that cases against anybody could be revived in the future if evidence of their involvement in these crimes are found.
Judges of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka accepted the final reports and discharged the accused in separate orders over the past few days. In their orders, they mentioned that since no evidence was found against the accused as per the reports, they have been freed from jail. They also said the cases could be revived if evidence of involvement in the crimes is found.
A total of 42 cases were filed in Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Ramna Division, 17 cases in Lalbagh Division, 40 cases in Motijheel Division, 55 cases in Wari Division, 33 cases in Tejgaon Division, 31 cases in Uttara Division, 42 cases in Gulshan Division and 30 cases in Mirpur Division.
Those released from are BNP standing committee member and former minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Mia Golam Parwar, BNP chairperson's adviser and former minister Amanullah Aman, BNP chairperson's adviser Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Organisational secretary Kazi Sayedaul Alam Babul, BNP publicity secretary Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Dhaka Metropolitan North member secretary Aminul Haque, Gano Adhikar Parishad president and former DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur, BNP chairperson's adviser Zahir Uddin Swapan, Jamaat-e-Islami's Majlis-e-Shura member Samiul Haque Faruqi, BNP central international affairs secretary Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Asim, Jamaat-e-Islami's Naib-e-Ameer and former MP Dr. Syed Abdullah Taher, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University's Dr. Sakhawat Hossain Sayanth.
Zainal Abedin Mezbah, a lawyer representing BNP leaders, told the Bangladesh Post that the court has accepted the final reports and discharged all the accused in 228 cases against BNP leaders and activists as per the police reports. It has been proven that these cases were filed to harass BNP leaders and activists.
Advocate Abdur Razzak, representing Jamaat leaders, said the charges against the arrested and FIR-named accused in 228 cases filed during the student movement were not proven. Therefore, they have been discharged.
