Jubo Dal President Tuku among 29 jailed for sabotage

A Dhaka court on Thursday (7 December) sentenced 29 leaders and activists of the opposition BNP and its associate bodies to jail on different terms in two separate cases filed over sabotage with Shahjahanpur and Gulshan police stations.

Jubo Dal President Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Swechchasebak Dal General Secretary Abdul Kader Jewel and BNP's Dhaka metropolitan South unit member secretary Md Rafiqul Islam Majnu are among the 20 convicted in the case filed at Shahjahanpur.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury issued the verdict.

The accused  were sentenced to two years of imprisonment under Section 148 and 34 of the Penal Code and one-year imprisonment under Section 427 and 34.

However, they will have to serve two years in jail each as the sentences under the two Sections will run concurrently, the court said in its judgement.

Police filed the case in October 2017. 

In the case filed with Gulshan Police Station , Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shafi Uddin issued the verdict, sentencing nine leaders and activists of the party to two years' jail each.

They were accused of vandalising vehicles during a procession demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Gulshan on 25 September 2018. 

Gulshan Police station Sub-Inspector Md Nazrul Islam filed the case.

However, the court also acquitted a total of 45 accused in the two cases as the charges brought against them could not be proved.  

Govt accomplishing plan to destroy garment industry: Rizvi

The government is accomplishing its plan to destroy the country's garment industry, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said.

"Following the US adaptation of a new labour policy to protect labour rights, the imposition of sanctions on Bangladesh's garment sector has become inevitable," he said at a virtual briefing yesterday.

Rizvi added, "Sheikh Hasina wants to secure her stay in power by handing over the country's garment industry to a neighbouring country. The government has resorted to oppression and killings to suppress the workers' legal demands."

Rizvi criticised Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen for his comment that garment exports would not be stopped due to US statements and that sanctions would do nothing when "the garment sector has already lost 40-45% of its trades."

Pointing to the 7 January election, Rizvi said, "A drama is ongoing in the name of the election. Whoever talks about fair elections, the prime minister regards them as her enemies."

17 injured during police-BNP clash in Mymensingh

A clash between the police and the leaders and activists of BNP in Mymensingh's Nandail Upazila left two police members and 15 of the party injured on the second day of the 10th phase of the BNP-enforced transport blockade yesterday.

The clash took place around 11:30am at Nandail Upazila's Mazar bus stand area on Mymensingh-Kishoreganj Highway.

Nandail Police Station OC Md Rashiduzzaman said a chase and counter-chase ensued when supporters of the upazila BNP leader and Mymensingh-9 (Nandail) national polls aspirant Nasser Khan Choudhury brought out a protest march in observance of the blockade