A Dhaka court on Wednesday exempted 173 leaders and activists of BNP including its Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Senior Joint Secretary General Adv Ruhul Kabir Rizvi from the charges of subversion in a case filed with the capital's Ramna Police Station, reports BSS.
Judge Shihabul Islam of Dhaka Special Tribunal-16 passed the order, allowing a discharge petition filed by the defence.
Wednesday was fixed for holding hearing on charge framing in the case.
The defence filed the discharge petition and took part in the hearing on the matter. The prosecution argued for framing charges in the case. After hearing both the sides, the tribunal discharged the accused from the case.
The other prominent accused in the case are BNP vice-chairman Advocate Joynul Abedin, health affairs secretary Dr Md Rafikul Islam, law affairs secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal, organising secretary Shama Obayed, Nobi Ullah Nobi, Saiful Alam Nirob and Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel.
According to the case documents, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia went to a makeshift court raised at old central jail in the capital's Nazimuddin Road on January 30, 2018.
The BNP men gathered in the city's Paribagh area to greet their leader. They, however, engaged in a scuffle with the police then. Later, police filed the case.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
