BANGLADESH

Police on Thursday pressed charges against BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 44 others for their alleged role in torching a bus in front of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during the Apr 29 general strike.

Detective Branch inspector Nurul Amin, who is investigating the case, pressed the charges with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in the morning and sought arrest warrants.

Tejgaon police filed a case on Apr 29 accusing the leaders of the BNP and its allies of backing the strikers who allegedly set the bus on fire in front of the PMO.

Among the accused, BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was arrested and sent to jail, pending further order, while another joint secretary general Mahbubuddin Khokon was on bail.

Defence lawyer Masud Ahmed told that if convicted in the case, one may face up to two years in jail. According to the law, there is a 30-day deadline to finish the case as it was filed under the speedy trial act. The investigator may get an extension of 15 days if it is not concluded in 30 days.

The charge-sheeted accused also include BNP leaders MK Anwar, Hannan Shah, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Mirza Abbas, Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain, Amanullah Aman, Ruhul Kuddus Talukdar Dulu, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Fazlul Haque Milon, Sharif Uddin Chowdhury Anne, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Liberal Democratic Party president Oli Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami acting chief Mokbul Hossain, BJP President Andalib Rahman Partha and Swechchhasebak Dal president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel