Leaders of Awami League (AL), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday said that they will legally face the cases filed against them for Paltan violence on October 28 in 2006. Denying his party's role in the incident, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told the reporters that Jamaat-e-Islami had filed the case against AL-led 14-party alliance leaders including Sheikh Hasina for political gains. "We are ready to face a legal battle," he said.
Expressing surprise for pressing charge sheet against 14-party alliance leaders, JSD General Secretary Syed Zafar Sajjad said everybody knows where the top leaders of 14-party stayed on October 28 when the Paltan event took place. "JSD will face the case filed against Hasanul Haque Inu through legal process. We know it is a false case," he said in a press release. "Pressing the charge sheet against the top leaders of 14-party including Hasanul Haque Inu without proper investigation will raise question about the caretaker government and its administration," he said.
"Using the Baitul Mokarram mosque as their camp, Jamaat-Shibir attacked with arms the scheduled programme of 14-party on October 28 but mysteriously police was withdrawn from the area. Even after the 14-party leaders' urge for proper action, the officials did not do so," he said.
Terming the charge sheet pressed against top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders as false, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Qamaruzzaman said, "The charge sheet is nothing but an initiative to conceal the killing by Awami League...we will face the case legally."
"They [AL] attacked us and killed our activists... it was not secret," he said, adding, "We have the video evidence that they attacked with oars and sticks according to the order of Sheikh Hasina."