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August 21 Grenade Attack

SC to assign HC bench for hearing, disposal of cases

Published : Friday, 21 August, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 323

The Supreme Court has taken some initiatives for quick hearing and disposal of the August 21 grenade attack cases, which are now pending before the High Court.
The paper book of August 21 grenade attack cases have already been prepared and sent to the concerned section of the HC from the Government Press on August 16.
Supreme Court sources said all paper books are being scrutinised by the death reference section after that it will be submitted before the Chief Justice.    
The Chief Justice will then assign an HC bench for holding a hearing on and disposing of the death references and appeals on the August 21 grenade attack cases, a source said.
The State will appoint state defence lawyers for those who are convicted but are fugitives to contest in the hearing, added the sources.
Supreme Court spokesman and Special Officer Md Saifur Rahman said a total of 585 paper books contain 10 thousand pages, 13 volumes, 22 appeals and 12 jail appeals in the murder case of August 21 grenade attack incident.
Similarly, the explosive case of August 21 grenade attack incident contains 11 volumes and 10 thousand pages. Among the convicted accused files there are 17 appeals and 12 jail appeals, he added.
The paper book, which includes trial proceedings, statements, evidence, orders, verdict, and other relevant documents, is necessary for the HC to hear and dispose of a death reference or an appeal.
According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, if a lower court orders the death penalty, the verdict is examined by the HC for confirmation of the punishment.
Law Minister Anisul Huq told I will now talk to the attorney general's office and ask it to move an application for starting hearing on the death reference and appeals of the case.
The government, however, is trying to bring back the fugitive convicts to the country and ensure their punishment, he said.
While talking about the cases, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told that his office would take the initiative to hold a hearing on jail appeals and death reference in two cases lodged over the August 21 grenade attack on a priority basis.
"We would ask to hold the hearing on a priority basis so that the matter is sent to a particular bench for hearing. Our efforts will be to uphold the lower court judgments in the two cases, at the High Court as well," he said.
The death references on the cases reached the HC on November 27 in 2018 for examination of the trial court's verdict.
On January 13 last year, the HC accepted appeals filed by the convicts in two cases over August 21 grenade attack for hearing.
The HC on the same day accepted the appeals filed by the convicted accused. And the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman stayed the part of the trial court verdict that fined the convicts.
On October 10, last year, Judge Shahed Nuruddin of Dhaka's Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 delivered its verdict, sentencing death to 19 people, including Lutfozzaman Babar, ex-deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, former NSI chief Brig Gen (retd) Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury, former DGFI director Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, and owner of Hanif Paribahan Mohammad Hanif in the cases.
It also awarded life imprisonment to 19 others, including Tarique Rahman, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's former political secretary Harris Chowdhury, former BNP lawmaker Qazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad in the cases.
The court also awarded different terms of jail to 11others people, including two former inspectors general of police - Ashraful Huda and Shahudul Haque in the cases. The judge also made 12-point observations on the background, motive, and consequences of the attack, mainly targeting then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.
Eighteen out of the 49 convicts are still on the run. Tarique Rahman, one of the prime accused, is hiding in London.
At least 24 people were killed and around 300 injured in the horrible attack on an Awami League rally on the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21 in 2004.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader in parliament, narrowly escaped the attack with an ear injury.









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