Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Tuesday asked four BNP leaders to surrender before the trial court in six weeks in a case filed on charge of issuing death threat to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and family members.
The court also asked the law enforcers not to harass or arrest them by this time.
The four BNP leaders are — Secretary General of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.
The HC Bench of Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by the BNP leaders.
Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate A J Mohammad Ali and Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared in the court on behalf of the BNP leaders, while Deputy Attorney General Md Rezaul Karim stood for the State.
A B Siddique, President of a pro-Awami League organisation Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, filed the case in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka on August 5 against BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and eight other leaders including the four. The same day, Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Satyabrata Sikder issued arrest warrants against the eight BNP leaders including the four.On Tuesday, they collectively filed a petition with the HC seeking anticipatory bail in the case. In the case, the complainant alleged that Hafizur Rahman Rana, an expelled teacher of BUET, sent him a letter on July 25 this year.
According to the case statement, it was alleged that the teacher, in his letter, threatened the assassination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, family members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the complainant by Islamic State (IS) on August 15.
It also mentioned that the memorial complex of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be destroyed by bombing. It has been said that a new Bangladesh will be established under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the letter said.
The complainant also appealed to the court to issue an arrest warrant against the accused for their alleged involvement with committing such offenses.
