Missing BNP leaders Ilyas Ali, Dinar and 38 others acquitted after 15 years

Missing BNP leaders M Ilyas Ali and Chhatra Dal leader Iftekhar Ahmed Dinar and 38 others have been acquitted after 15 years in the much-discussed case filed in connection with the arson of a bus in Sylhet and the death of an elderly man. After a long hearing and review of evidence on Tuesday, Judge Md. Shariful Islam of the Sylhet Human Trafficking Crime Suppression Tribunal announced the verdict.

According to the case details, on December 18, 2011, a bus was set on fire and another bus was vandalized in the Badikona area of ​​the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in connection with a BNP program. An elderly man named Kazi Nasir, who was later identified as the father of film actress Shabnur, died after being burned inside the bus. After the incident, the police initially buried him as an unclaimed person, but his family members later identified him.

On the night of the incident, the police filed two separate cases under the Murder Case and the Speedy Trial Act. A total of 40 people, including Ilyas Ali and Dinar, were accused in these cases. After a long trial, the court acquitted 38 people. Among those acquitted were Advocate Shamsuzzaman Zaman and Advocate ATM Fayez, as well as several BNP leaders and activists.

After the verdict, the lawyers for the accused expressed satisfaction and said that the case was politically motivated and that was reflected in the court verdict. It is worth noting that although BNP leaders Ilyas Ali and Dinar have been missing for a long time, their names were officially cleared from the case through this court verdict.