Bangla Press Desk: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has begun hearing the appeals filed by the state challenging the High Court verdict that acquitted acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, former State Minister Lutfozzaman Babar and others earlier convicted in the August 21 grenade attack cases.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, also adjourned the hearing until 26 May.
Advocate SM Shahjahan and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir took part in the hearing on behalf of the accused, while Additional Attorney Generals Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan and Barrister Aneek R Haque represented the state.
The apex court was initially scheduled to hold a hearing on 4 May, but it was not held on that day as Justice AKM Asaduzzaman, who had presided over the High Court bench while hearing and disposing of the death references and appeals of the cases, was in the apex court’s bench on that day. The judge who disposes of any case at the HC cannot deal with the same matter at the Appellate Division.
Among those sentenced to death were BNP leader and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, BNP’s vice chairman and former deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu, former DGFI director Brig Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury and former director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI) late Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim.
Tarique Rahman, who is currently living in London, was among the 19 sentenced to life-term imprisonment. Others include late BNP leader Md Abul Harris Chowdhury and former BNP MP Kazi Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad.
Pintu and Babar walked out of jail on 23 December 2024 and 16 January 2025, respectively, after spending 17 years in prison. They were in jail in some other cases.
Later, the state filed two separate leave to appeal petitions with the Appellate Division challenging the HC verdict.
The grenade attack on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka took place on 21 August 2004. Two cases – one for murder and another for explosives – were filed in connection with the incident. Source: DS
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]
BP/ZE
