A Dhaka court has sentenced 25 activists of the BNP and its affiliate organisations to three years in jail each for vandalism and stirring unrest.

Among the convicts are Md Taijuddin aka ‘Lomba’ Taiju, the president of the ward No. 68 BNP faction, and Razia Alam aka Razia Sultana, president of the Dhaka South Mohila Dal.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Sheikh Sadir delivered the verdicts in the absence of the defendants, said Neehar Hossain, a member of their defence team.

Before the verdict, the magistrate scrapped their bail and declared them fugitives. The chief of Bangshal Police Station was tasked with apprehending them after warrants for their arrest were issued.

The sentences will take effect from the day of their surrender or capture, the magistrate said.

The court heard the arguments for the prosecution and defence and recorded the statements of three witnesses for the prosecution.

On Sept 6, 2018, Taiju and other activists for the BNP and its affiliate organisations gathered near the Ahmed Bawani School in Dhaka’s Bangshal area to demand the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the case documents say. They then vandalised stores and vehicles and attempted to create unrest among the locals.

A case was filed against 25 suspects at Bangshal Police Station over the incident.

On Jun 30, 2019, police filed a chargesheet against the suspects. They were indicted on Feb 27, 2022.