2011 political violence: BNP leader Hafiz denied bail, sent back to jail

A Dhaka court today sent BNP leader Major (retd) Md Hafiz Uddin Ahmed back to jail in a 2011 political violence case in which he was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order after rejecting the bail petition of Major Hafiz, who appeared before the court in a wheelchair.

The court also directed the jail authority to provide him with first class division in jail custody according to the Jail Code.

During today's hearing, Hafiz's lawyer Taherul Islam Tauhid said they would file an appeal with the higher court challenging the legality of the sentence, so his client should be granted bail.

On December 28 last year, Major Hafiz, BNP vice-chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, and six others were jailed for different termsin a case filed over political violence in Dhaka's Gulshan area in 2011.

Altaf, Hafiz and Major (retd) Md Hanif were sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment while five others got 42-month sentences for illegally gathering and torching vehicles.

Among the convicts, Altaf joined the trial proceedings virtually from the jail when the court delivered the verdict.

Major Hafiz and six others were absent without taking any steps through their lawyers on that date.

The magistrate also acquitted 11 other accused as the charges against them were not proven.

During the trial, seven prosecution witnesses testified before the court.

According to the case documents, a group of leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations illegally gathered on the street in front of Mohakhali Wireless Gate Panir Tank area in Gulshan and obstructed police from conducting their duties. They also attacked the law enforcers and vandalised and torched vehicles.

Police filed a case with Gulshan Police Station in connection with the incident.