Emdadur Rahman Chowdhury Zia, Sylhet

Finally, the investigative report has been proved truth . There is no specific case including rape against the four Awami League leaders arrested in India.They were arrested in 'rape case ' was a propaganda. So , the four leaders of Sylhet Awami League and Jubo League were granted bail by the Juwai District Magistrate Court of Meghalaya, India, on Wednesday (December 11).

Earlier, their bail hearing was scheduled for Tuesday in the Meghalaya court, but the hearing was not held. They were produced in the court of that country on Wednesday and a bail application was filed. After the hearing, the court granted them bail.

When contacted on WhatsApp, Bangladesh Awami League Central Organizing Secretary and former MP Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadal confirmed the bail of the Sylhet Awami League leaders arrested in India.

He said that none of their names were in the case report recorded at the police station in which the four Awami League and Jubo League leaders were shown arrested. They were arrested as suspects.

Although the media has been citing various sources for the past two days that the arrested leaders have been charged with 'rape, vandalism, looting and illegal entry'. However, only the investigative news has been proven. They were arrested for violating state laws.

A copy of the complaint shows that on October 16, the president of the West Jainta Hills Truck Owners' Association, U Henry Manar, filed a case against an unknown accused, alleging vandalism and looting of vehicles. No specific person was named as an accused in the complaint.

The complaint states that on October 16, at around 1:30 pm, two of the plaintiff's trucks (ML04-A 5212 and ML04 B 4109) were vandalized, looted and the driver was beaten up. It is also mentioned that an unknown Bangladeshi citizen was involved in this.

The Dawki police registered a case (Case No. 19(10)/24) under Sections 118(1) (false statement/use of false document), 309(4) and 310(2) (robbery, kidnapping), 324(4) (assault with dangerous weapon) and 14 of the Foreigners Act under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Various media outlets reported the arrest of four leaders of Sylhet Awami League, Swechchhasebak League, and Jubo League in this case. However, this is also not correct. Reliable sources said that the four arrested leaders were living in the Shillong police station. But suspicion arose among the police when they left for West Bengal without the permission of the state police. Later, the police tracked down the four leaders and arrested them from Kolkata. And after this arrest, Awami League Central Organizing Secretary Shafiur Alam Chowdhury Nadel claimed that propaganda was spread in various media outlets.

The leaders of Sylhet Awami League are: Advocate Nasir Uddin Khan, General Secretary of Sylhet District Awami League and former Chairman of the District Council, Ilias Ahmed Jewel, Executive Committee Member of Metropolitan Awami League, Alam Khan Mukti, President of Metropolitan Jubo League and Abdul Latif Ripon, Vice President of Metropolitan Jubo League were arrested by Meghalaya Police from a house in Hatiara area of Kolkata city late on Saturday night.

The day after the arrest, they were produced before the Special Criminal Court of the Kolkata District Sessions Court in Barasat on Sunday, a weekly holiday. But since the judge was not present, the police took them to Juwai Police Station in Meghalaya without taking transit remand, assuring that the criminals would be produced before the local court in Shillong within 24 hours as per Indian law.

They were brought to Juwai Police Station in Dawki around 11 pm on Monday. They were produced in the court there on Tuesday. At that time, their bail application was filed through a lawyer, but there was no hearing in the court. Their bail hearing was scheduled for Wednesday in court, and after the hearing, the court judge granted their bail application.