DHAKA: A court in Bangladesh yesterday ordered the trial of 147 people, including senior leaders of the main opposition party, over an explosion outside their headquarters last year.
The move to charge them with setting off explosives in capital Dhaka came as the opposition mounted fresh protests to try to unseat a government they say is illegal.
Hundreds of opposition supporters have been charged since violent protests over disputed elections in January left more than 500 people dead across the country.
The latest case concerns small explosions in March 2013 outside the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) head office. After the blasts, police stormed the building, ransacked rooms and arrested key officials, in a raid shown live on private television channels.
“All 147 were charged under the speedy trial laws. They could be jailed for up to 10 years if found guilty,” Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said. The court also issued arrest warrants against 48 people who failed to turn up at the court, he said.
The BNP-led 19-party alliance boycotted the January 5 elections, allowing the ruling Awami League party and its allies to clinch all parliamentary seats in a poll marred by violence and widespread fraud.
Defence lawyers blasted the latest charges, calling them a “ploy” by the government to derail fresh opposition protests to force an early general election.
“It came at a time when the opposition has called for a new movement against the government,” defence lawyer Sanaullah Miah said, adding at least 20 senior opposition officials were among those charged.
He said at least 250 BNP figures, including former ministers and lawmakers, had been charged with violence in recent weeks after BNP leader Khaleda Zia urged supporters to return to the streets for countrywide protests.
Zia, a two-time former prime minister, is also facing two corruption cases that could see her barred from politics if found guilty.
She has called the new government illegal and called her supporters to regroup for nationwide protests to topple the government. Abu said the judge had set September 25 for hearing.
AFP
