Joj Miah drama staged to cover Aug 21 grenade attackers: Prosecution

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DHAKA, Dec 13, 2017 (BSS) – The prosecution in connection with the case lodged over August 21, 2004, grenade attack, today said Joj Miah drama was staged by the then government and people in the administration to cover up the real culprits.

“They carried out that heinous incident by staging the drama using an innocent like Joj Miah. Their misdeed was utter disrespect to the rule of law. They recorded the false and fabricated testimony of Joj Miah by threatening and luring him at times. They tried to use the drama to eliminate top leadership of Awami League including Sheikh Hasina and expand militancy in the country,” chief prosecutor in the case Syed Rezaur Rahman said in his closing arguments today.

Joj Miah in his latest testimony implicated seven accused in the case including the then state minister for home affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, three former top police officials Shahudul Haque, Ashraful Huda and Khoda Boksh Chowdhury with the monstrous crimes.

Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of Dhaka 1st speedy trial tribunal adjourned the hearing till December 18, as the prosecution failed to wrap up their arguments.

Earlier, the prosecution quoted a prosecution witness, saying the conspiracy behind the 2004 attack was hatched at Tarique Rahman’s political office Hawa Bhaban and his party deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu’s official residence.

The prosecution in their arguments had said a total of five local and foreign militant outfits were involved in the barbaric attack, killing 24 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami League.

“Harkat-ul Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), Kashmir-based separatist organization Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Tehrik Jihad-e Islam, Lashkar-e Tyaba and Myanmar-based Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) were involved in the monstrous attack,” the chief prosecutor said.

“Apart from these groups, Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government orchestrated the attack. The then government used Ministry of Home Affairs, DGFI, NSI and Bangladesh Police in executing the conspiracy,” he added.

A total of 24 AL leaders and workers including the then Mohila Awami League President and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, Ivy Rahman, were killed and 500 others were injured in the grenade attack.

Earlier, the senior jurist in his arguments had said a total of 12 accused have given confessional statement under section 164.

Of those accused, HuJI leader Mufti Abdul Hannan had given two confessional statements.

A total of 225 prosecution witnesses testified in the case while 20 witnesses were produced by the defence.

The attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally of Awami League aimed at killing the front ranking leaders including its President and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to eliminate the party leaderships.