The High Court ordered two former Awami League lawmakers HBM Iqbal, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shayon and 13 others to surrender in connection with a case filed over the killing of four people at BNP rally in Malibagh in 2001.
The High Court (HC) has also stayed the verdict of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka that relieved the 15 accused, keeping the trial of others in process.
The HC bench comprising Justice Mustafizur Rahman and Justice Md Sagir Hossain on Wednesday issued the order asking them to surrender before the District and Sessions Judge Court immediately.
The HC order came after hearing on a prayer filed by petitioner of the case Yunus Mridha, the then president of BNP Khilgaon thana unit, who filed the case in 2001.
Accordant to the case document, on 13 February 2001, a clash erupted between a rally led by HBM Iqbal, and a BNP rally at Malibagh intersection.
Four BNP activists --Jasim Uddin, Khokon, Abdur Rashid Molla, and Najma Akhtar—were killed in gunfire during the incident.
BNP leader Yunus Mridha had filed the case and on December 29, 2002, police submitted charge sheet against 24 people, including HBM Iqbal and Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shayon.
However, the home ministry on August 17 in 2009 recommended dropping names of some accused from the charge sheet.
Accordingly, the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka after hearing on August 26 and September 29 in 2010 relieved the 15 accused, including the two lawmakers, keeping the trial of others in process.
Lawyer of the plaintiff advocate Aminul Islam said his client prayed for cancellation of the Special Tribunal-1 order as it didn’t mention any logic of dropping the names of the accused from the charge sheet.
After hearing the petition, the court asked the trial court to issue arrest warrant against the 15 persons if they do not surrender before the court on the scheduled time.
Now, trial will continue against the all accused of the case, Aminul Islam said.
NY
