27 sent to jail over 'Joy Bangla' slogan at Jasad office, 249 released
Home minister says Awami League leaders and activists were planning sabotage inside Jasad office.
A Dhaka court today (27 September) sent 27 people to jail over allegations of chanting "Joy Bangla" slogans and creating a destabilising and disorderly environment inside the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) central office.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam passed the order after a hearing last night. The court also fixed today for hearing their bail petitions, Masud Khan, sub-inspector of the prosecution department, confirmed the matter.
Masud said the court ordered the 27 to be sent to jail following a police petition. The accused were not produced in the courtroom during the hearing, he added.
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Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Awami League leaders and activists were planning sabotage inside the Jasad office
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According to the police petition, the accused allegedly chanted "Joy Bangla" slogans, intimidated people and created a destabilising and disorderly environment inside the Jasad central office while police were on duty there.
Police, with assistance from local residents, detained them at around 6:30pm on Saturday.
Police raided the office and detained around 280-300 people. Police later released 249 people after verifying their identities, according to DMP.
Several journalists were among those detained.
'AL leaders were planning sabotage'
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Awami League leaders and activists were planning sabotage inside the Jasad office in the capital.
The minister made the statement while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat today.
The minister said that political parties do not require permission to hold discussions in their offices.
However, intelligence agencies had information that Awami League activists were planning acts of sabotage there, he added.
Salahuddin said mobile phones of 27 detainees will undergo forensic examination.
"If any evidence is found of their involvement in acts of sabotage, cases will be filed against them," he added.
Jasad, however, said in a statement that the gathering was its pre-scheduled central representatives' meeting and that the relevant police officials had been informed about the programme beforehand.
ASK condemns attack, mob violence at Jasad office
The Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has condemned the attack, mob violence, and physical assault of political activists during a pre-scheduled central representatives' meeting at the Jasad office in Gulistan, as well as the subsequent detention of 289 people.
In a statement issued today, the rights organisation expressed "deep concern and strong condemnation" over the incident.
ASK said creating a mob to disrupt a pre-scheduled meeting at a political party's office and physically assaulting political activists in the presence of police were unacceptable.
It said Bangladesh's Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
"These rights are among the fundamental foundations of political participation and freedom of expression in a democratic society," it said.
The organisation called for a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation into the allegations of the attack, mob violence and assault at the Jasad office.
