The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rajshahi Correspondent

A Speedy Trial Court in Rajshahi city yesterday sentenced 11 accused, including ten students of Rajshahi University to three years' rigorous imprisonment in the DGFI vehicle torching case and acquitted two RU teachers and a public relations officer of the charges.

The convicts are former RU vice-chancellor's driver Ataur Rahman Ata, and students Ayenuddin, who is also RU Chhatra League Secretary, Dipayan Sarker, Hafiz Uddin Kamal, Shakhawat Hossain, Kazi Abdul Latif, Shamim Ahmed, Abu Sayem, Fakrul Islam, Sarker Ayej and Mizanur Rahman Mithu. Of the convicts, only driver Ata was in the dock to receive the prison sentence pronounced by the Speedy Trial Court. The rest were tried in absentia as they are absconding.

Ata's relatives present in the crowded court burst into tears hearing the verdict.

After examining records and witnesses, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ruhul Amin sentenced the 11 to three years' RI under Sections 3(4) and 8(2) of the Emergency Power Rules 2007.

The court also fined them Tk 5,000 each, in default, to serve three months more in jail.

Dr Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan Sajal and Dr Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu--both teachers of Geology and Mining Department, and Deputy Chief

Information Officer of RU Public Relations Office Sadikul Islam were exonerated from the charge of the arson attack and violation of the emergency rules.

Earlier, four teachers of the university were jailed for two years on December 4 in connection with the violence, which flared up in a backlash against the Dhaka University incident and clashes.

But they were released on Monday after President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed approved their mercy petition, amid strong pleas from different quarters, including teachers and students, for setting them free.

On August 22, a vehicle of the military intelligence outfit DGFI was torched in front of the Vice-Chancellor's residence amid violence on the RU campus following Dhaka University's August 20 student unrest.

Later, DGFI assistant director Shawkat Ali filed the case against 14 persons with Motihar Police Station on August 23.

The plaintiff alleged that a group of unruly students and people assaulted him while he was on duty on the campus on August 22.

Later, on September 1, the investigation officer sub-inspector Mokhtar Hossain, submitted charges against the 14 suspects. The two acquitted RU teachers of Geology and Mining Department and driver Ataur Rahman Ata surrendered before the court on September 11, while Sadikul Islam was arrested on August 29.

The four detained persons were brought to the court at about 2.42pm

and the Judge pronounced the judgement at about 3.52pm yesterday.

Teachers and students rushed to the court to hear the judgement in the much-talked-about case of violence amid the current state of emergency in the country.