Bangladesh: BNP vice-chairman jailed for 3 years for threatening PM

The vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was jailed in absentia for three years on October 30 for threatening the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. According to BNP, the jail of Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury is also another example of the government critics facing harsh outcomes by the officials. Nearly thousands of activists have been arrested under the leadership of PM Hasina who strengthened her grip after being re-elected in December. Chowdhury was found guilty of making statements 'conducive to public mischief' and 'criminal conspiracy'. 

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Charges from a speech in 2018

Reportedly, the court arose charges from Chowdhury's speech at a rally in 20-18 where he said that PM Hasina's fate would be 'worse' than her father, Bangladesh's first President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated in 1975. According to the prosecutor, Samir Das Gupta, they wanted a 'harsher punishment' as believed in the rule of law. However, according to the defense lawyer, Enamul Hoque, the judgment had a political motive and was biased. BNP spokesperson also said that Chowdhury did not get justice and the government was filing cases to 'muzzle' the opposition. 

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Chowdhury in hospital

The lawyers in defense of the 70-year-old politician said that he was currently being treated in Singapore hospital. With a family-based in Chittagong, Chowdhury reportedly comes from a controversial yet political background himself. BNP vice-chairman's brother, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury was convicted of crimes during Bangladesh's war of Independence in 1971 and was later hanged in 2015. Moreover, the tribunal which led to the hanging of Chowdhury's brother was also established by PM Hasina. The former Prime Minister, and the leader of BNP, Khaleda Zia is already serving a sentence in jail for ten years. Earlier this week, another BNP lawmaker was sentenced for five years in jail on charges of tax evasion.

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(With agency inputs)