ZCZC
BSS-43
PROSECUTION-EXPECTATION-GRENADE-VERDICT
Prosecution expects death penalty of all accused
DHAKA, Oct 9, 2018 (BSS) – The chief prosecutor and investigation officer
(IO) in the 21-August grenade attack cases have expected capital punishment
to all of its accused.
“During our arguments at the court, we’ve been able to probe allegations
against all of the accused in the grenade attack cases beyond any doubt with
placing testimony of 225 prosecution witnesses,” Chief Prosecutor Advocate
Syed Rezaur Rahman told BSS today.
“We’ve sought the highest punishment of all the accused in accordance
with law as the all allegations against them have been proved beyond any
doubt,” he said.
On August 22, 2004, police filed two separate cases with Motijheel Police
Station in connection with the grenade attack.
Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Criminal Investigation
Department (CID) of police Abdul Kahar Akand said: “We are expecting capital
punishment of all the accused in the 21 August grenade attack cases as enough
evidences to probe allegations against the accused have already been
submitted before the court”.
Akand, also investigation officer of the cases, said: “There are enough
evidences against the accused for perpetrating, masterminding, abetting, and
destroying evidences to give the highest punishment against them”.
A total of 24 AL leaders and workers, including Ivy Rahman, the then
Mohila Awami League President and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, were
killed and around 500 others injured in the monstrous grenade attack.
A total of 52 people were accused in the cases while prosecution
suggested an influential quarter of the then BNP regime, including party’s
senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, was involved in the attack by engaging
militant outfit HuJI, and subsequently made a desperate attempt to save the
assailants.
A total of 31 accused, including two former ministers, faced the trial in
person while 18 including Tarique were tried in absentia.
Tarique, now in London, and 17 others including several intelligence
officials were earlier declared “absconding” as they were on ‘run-to-evade-
justice’.
Eight suspects, including three former police chiefs, were on bail as the
trial was underway. On September 18, the court scrapped their bail and sent
them to jail.
Three of the accused, including top HuJI leader Mufty Abdul Hannan,
however, were executed after trial in other cases.
BSS/asg/AHJ-MHR-MM/MRI/1952 hrs