Gulistan hawker eviction drive: 2 ex-BCL leaders charged

Police has pressed attempted murder charges against two expelled Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders in a case filed over brandishing firearms during a 2016 drive to remove hawkers in Dhaka’s Gulistan. 

Shahbag Police Station SI Akram Hossain submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate on April 11. Meanwhile, the media was informed about the matter on Sunday. 

According to the court police sources, the charge sheet will be brought before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi today.

The two accused are Sabbir Hossain and Ashikur Rahman. Sabbir was the general secretary of BCL Dhaka south unit while Ashikur was the general secretary of Wari unit of BCL.

On October 27, 2016 hawkers and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) workers clashed during an eviction drive in Gulistan. Photos of Sabbir and Ashikur, who were with the city corporation workers, firing blanks into the air, soon appeared in various media reports. 

On October 31, BCL suspended two of its leaders as they used a pistol and a revolver to frighten the hawkers and even had the audacity to fire blank shots during the clash.  

Amid widespread criticism over the incident, Shahbag Police Station SI Abdul Mannan filed a case against the two, accusing them of 'attempted murder'. 

Roadside trader Md Shiraj filed another case against the two with Paltan Police Station.