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DMP set to submit charge sheets in political cases

Those against Hefajat Islam to remain pending


Published : 18 Jul 2019 09:00 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 07:20 PM

Dhaka Metropolitan Police are going to submit charge sheets in all the ‘political’ cases within August 15, except those against Hefajat Islam. Highly placed sources in the law enforcing agencies confirmed it to Bangladesh Post. A senior officer of the DMP on condition of anonymity said, “We have instructed the concerned officials to complete the ongoing investigations very quickly.”

Responding to a question, he said, “These case were filed between August and December last year.” An Additional Deputy Commissioner of DMP’s Detective Branch said, “We have been instructed to submit charge sheets in the political cases within August 15 this year.” Senior officers ordered us to investigate these case fairly so that no innocent persons is charge sheeted in the political cases, he further said.

Police in principle have also decided not to name any aged persons in the charge sheet unless he or she does not hold any vital political post. They will also exclude the persons who were actually abroad when the cases were filed against them. DMP high ups also instructed the investigators to exclude the names of all those non-political persons who were falsely named in the political cases after being labelled as BNP-Jamaat activists.

Police received huge numbers of complaints that some innocent persons who were not involved in any anti-government politics, were also named in the political cases. Some local leaders of the ruling party in association with some corrupt police officers named huge numbers of innocent persons following previous disputes with the local party leaders. DMP high ups also ordered to exclude these names after proper investigation.

Credible sources in DB said, they have been ordered not to submit the cases against Hefajat Islam leaders and activists shortly. Neither would the Hefajat Islam leaders be excluded, nor accused. On May 5 in 2013, Hefajat Islam had organised a huge gathering in country's commercial hub Motijheel Shapla Chattar to press home its 13-point demand. This demand included a law ensuring capital punishment for maligning Islam.

Eyewitnesses said the unruly activists of the radical organization went on the rampage setting fire to hundreds of shops, vehicles and police checkpoints. Later, law enforcers had to swing into action to flush them out in a raid after midnight. Following the clashes, 83 cases were filed against 3,416 people. Most of its front leaders went undercover fearing arrest. DMP will submit charge sheets in all political cases, except these cases against Hefajat Islam.

‘We have been ordered to keep the cases still under investigation instead of quick disposal, a DB officer said. Huge numbers of political cases currently are being investigated by the different officers of the DB. There are 33 political cases being investigated by the Mothijeel Zonal Teams of the DB’s East Division only. There are three other divisions in DB. Each team has ten to twelve political cases which are being investigated.

In November last year BNP submitted a list of 1,046 “false cases” filed against its leaders and activists to the Prime Minister's Office. 25,70,547 BNP leaders and activists were implicated in 90,340 false cases over the last 10 years, claimed BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a press conference on October last year. But government and law enforcing agencies repeatedly denied all allegations of recording false cases against opposition leaders and activists.