Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the largest opposition political party in Bangladesh, has seen the release of its secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and standing committee member, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, from prison. These prominent leaders were released by the prison authorities after the arrival of their bail papers at Dhaka Central Jail on February 15, 2024 in afternoon. Meanwhile, another central leader of the BNP, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, was also released on bail on the same day from Kashimpur Central Jail.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury were arrested following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s mass rally on October 28, 2023.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir faces 11 cases for his alleged involvement in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s October 28 program and the subsequent violence. He had already been granted bail in 10 of these cases. Standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury is accused in 10 cases, with bail granted in nine of them.
On February 14, the court granted bail to both individuals in relation to the attacks on the Chief Justice’s residence.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) organized a mass rally on October 28, 2023, demanding the government’s resignation and calling for elections under a non-partisan administration. Following the rally, 28 cases were registered the next day in various incidents of clashes. Most of the top leaders of the BNP have been accused in these cases, with multiple charges filed against each individual.
BNP General Secretary and other top leaders were arrested on charges including attacks and vandalism on the Chief Justice’s residence, obstruction of government work, police killing, arson, snatching police weapons, and involvement in a hospital fire.
In addition to the aforementioned charges, all the top leaders of BNP, including Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Abdul Awal Mintu, former Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Aman Ullah Aman, Shahjahan Omar, Moazzem Hossain Alal, and Mahbub Uddin Khokon, have been booked for sabotage in connection with the October 28 incident.
