Court accepts BNP case against cops

Dhaka, July 10 (bdnews24.com)?A Dhaka court has accepted the attempt to murder case against 30 policemen for the 'attack' on opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque during the hartal hours on July 6.

A B M Ashrafuddin Nizan, a BNP MP, filed the case with the Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Sunday morning against additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Harun-or-Rashid, Mohammadpur zone assistant commissioner Biplob Sarker and 28 others of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Nizan's counsel Joynal Abedin Mejbah told bdnews24.com.

Magistrate M A K Azad took the case into cognisance after hearing.

He also ordered the DMP commissioner to look into the matter and submit a report on its progress by August 10.

A government-formed three-member police team, headed by an additional inspector general, has already started investigation into the matter.

The opposition chief whip, currently being treated at United Hospital, came under 'police attack' when he was leading a procession of some 25 opposition MPs from Farmgate to the parliament building on the first day of the BNP-led alliance's 48-hour hartal that began at 6am on July 6.

Police filed a case against Farroque, Syeda Asifa Ashrafee Papiya MP and some 10 other unnamed people the same night, but "declined" the following day to let the BNP sue two of their senior colleagues on charge of assaulting Farroque.

When Nizan went to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station he was told that police themselves had filed a case over the incident and investigation was ongoing.

Witnesses said Farroque had fiercely argued with ADC Harun at the time and the two swore at each other. A scuffle followed and the MP was beaten and kicked by the law-enforcers.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday regretted the 'accident' and told parliament that she was keeping a tab on his condition.

She, however, went on to add, "None expects a parliamentarian to pelt brickbats at vehicles or assault police. People expect amicable and polite behaviour from an MP."

Home minister Shahara Khatun, described the injury as 'unexpected and sad', but said "any kind of demonstration around the parliament complex during its session is banned".

ADC Harun told reporters that Farroque did not stop the procession despite his call and rather, with party activists, threw brickbats at buses on the Manik Mia Avenue.

He also claimed that the opposition chief whip hurled abuses at police.

bdnews24.com/pb/mi/pks/sht/1455h

View the original article here