DHAKA: A Dhaka court Tuesday issued arrest warrants against Jamaat-e-Islami’s four top leaders, including its Amir Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, in a case filed against them for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

The other accused are Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Nayab-e Amir Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Dhaka City Amir Rafiqul Islam Khan.

Justice Mehedi Hasan Talukdar of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court issued the arrest orders.

The magistrate passed the orders as the four leaders failed to appear before the court as per its summons.

“Arrest warrants are issued against them as they didn’t appear before the court today (Tuesday),” the court said.

Next August 3 has been fixed for submitting arrest-related documents.

Secretary-general of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Syed Rezaul Haque filed the case against five, including the Jamaat Amir and the secretary-general, on March 21 with the metropolitan magistrate court.

According to the case statement, Rafiqul Islam Khan at a discussion in the city on March 17 compared Nizami with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which “hurt the Muslims”.

The court, however, granted bail to another accused of the case, president of Dhaka Metropolitan Islami Chhatra Shibir ASM Yahia, as he surrendered and petitioned for bail earlier in the day.  

BDST: 1417 Hrs, June 29, 2010.
MI/MS/SMS/MUA