Krishak Dal leader Shahidul Islam Babul sent to jail
A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of Shohidul Islam Babul, general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, in a case filed seven years ago over obstructing government work and unlawful assembly.
This morning (18 August), Babul surrendered before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman through his lawyer and sought bail.
After a hearing, the court rejected his bail petition and directed that he be sent to jail.
The case against him was filed with Paltan Police Station in October 2017.
Confirming the court's decision, Babul's lawyer, Sadequl Islam Bhuiyan (Jadu), said, "Babul surrendered today and applied for bail on the condition of an appeal. The court rejected the bail application and sent him to jail."
"We will apply for his bail in the High Court, and we hope the court will grant it," he added
According to the case documents, on 31 October 2017, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was returning to Gulshan after a visit to Cox's Bazar. At that time, BNP and affiliated activists chanted anti-government slogans in the Paltan area and attempted to block the VIP Road and vandalise property.
On the same day, SI Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil of Paltan Model Police Station filed a case over the incident.
On 19 July 2019, the investigating officer of Paltan Police Station, SI Ataur Rahman, submitted the charge sheet to the court.
After the trial concluded, the court delivered its verdict on 23 November 2023.
Babul was sentenced to two and a half years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk2,000, or seven days in default, under one section.
Under another section, he was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk2,000, or seven days in default.
