213 BNP men indicted in two violence cases

A Dhaka court has framed charges against 213 leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its front organisations in two cases related to political violence.

Among the accused is Aman Ullah Aman, the North City BNP Convener, who is currently in jail custody. Aman, and 170 others who are out on bail, pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after the charges were read out to them by Dhaka’s Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate AKM Rakibul Hasan on Wednesday.

The cases, filed in 2013 and 2017, include charges of crude bomb blasts, property damage, arson attacks, vandalism, assault on police, and obstruction of police duties.

The trial for the cases is set to begin on January 2, said Additional Public Prosecutor Anwarul Kabir Babul.