The High Court has dropped the death references, appeals and jail appeals of the convicts in the Ramna Batamul bombing case from its daily cause list for procedural purposes.
A special bench of Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin sat for the purpose on Monday
During this time Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan represented the state and advocate Shishir Monir stood on behalf of the convicts.
Deputy Attorney General Shaheen Ahmed Khan said, "The hearing was taking place before the bench of Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin. But at present this bench no longer exists, and a new bench has been formed comprising Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajal. For this reason, Justice Krishna Debnath and Justice ASM Abdul Mobin sat in a special bench to delist it, so that the Chief Justice can now appoint a new bench for it.”
On April 14, 2001, during the Chhayanat’s Bengali New Year celebrations at Ramna Batamul, a bomb blast left nine people dead on the spot. Another died at the hospital later.
Two cases under the Murder and Explosives Act were filed at Ramna Police Station after the incident. Dhaka's Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge ruled on June 23, 2014 in a murder case involving the bomb attack.
Eight people including Mufti Hannan, the top leader of Harkatul Jihad (Huji) were sentenced to death and six to life imprisonment. However, Mufti Hannan has already been hanged in a conviction over another grenade attack in Sylhet.
The death references and appeals of the convicts are currently awaiting hearing in the High Court.