United News of Bangladesh

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday set May 8 to deliver its judgment on the death references, appeals and jail appeals of the convicts in the Ramna Batamul bombing cases filed over two decades ago. An HC bench consisting Justice Mostafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasrin Akhter fixed the date. Earlier, on February 18 this year, the court concluded hearings on the death references and appeals, with the verdict pending and expected to be delivered any day. Ramna Batamul Cases: HC verdict expected any day 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 – one for murder and another for explosives -- were filed with 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. Mufti Hannan was hanged on April 12, 2017 in a conviction over another grenade attack in Sylhet. The death references and appeals of the convicts were kept waiting for hearing in the HC.

The High Court on Wednesday started the hearing on the death references and appeals of the convicts in Major (retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan murder case in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.The hearing started at the HC bench of Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman and Justice Md Sagir Hossain in the morning.Earlier, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed sent the case to the HC bench for disposing it with utmost priority. Sinha murder: HC to hear 2 constables' appeals against life sentenceMajor (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan was killed in police firing at Shyampur police check-post on July 31, 2020 on Marine Drive Road in Teknaf upazila.On January 31, 2022, Cox’s Bazar District and Session Judge sentenced two people to death and six others to life imprisonment.The court also acquitted seven others as allegations brought against them could not be proved.The condemned convicts were—then suspended inspector of Baharchhara Police camp Liakat Ali and suspended officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station Pradeep Kumar Das.Those who get life imprisonment were suspended sub-inspectors Nandalal Rakshit, Sagar Deb, Rubel Sharma, Nurul Amin, Nezam Uddin and Ayaz Uddin.

The High Court on Monday started the hearing on the death references and appeals of the convicts in a murder case over the August 21 grenade attack  on an Awami League rally in 2004. The hearing started at the HC bench of Justice Sahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman in the morning. State counsel Attorney General Abu Mohammad (AM) Amin Uddin gave his statement on the death references at the court. Read more: ‘Should I hold dialogue with Khaleda, Tarique who wanted to kill me with grenade attack?’ A Dhaka court on October 10, 2018, sentenced 19 people, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death in the case. The others who were sentenced to death are then DGFI Director Major General (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, then NSI Brigadier General (retd) Abdur Rahim, Mohammad Hanif, Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Sheikh Abdus Salam, Abdul Mazed, Maulana Shawkat Osman, Mahibullah alias Mafizur Rahman, Maulana Abu Taher, Maulana Abu Sayeed, Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Abul Kalam Azad, Mainuddin Sheikh alias Abu Zandal, Ujjal alias Ratan, Hossain Ahmed Tanim, Sheikh Abdus Salam and Abdul Malek. All of the condemned convicts were also fined Tk 1 lakh each. Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and 18 others were sentenced to life in prison. On October 28, the same year, the case documents along with the judgment copy was sent to the High Court for it to approve the death sentence of the accused. The death reference wing of the High Court scrutinized and prepared the paper book of the respective case, which implies the case is ready for hearing. On August 16, last year, the paperbook of the grenade attack case reached the Supreme Court. Then the Attorney General applied to the Chief Justice for a speedy hearing of the death references and appeals. Read more: August 21 grenade attack planned in Hawa Bhaban: Joy August 21 grenade attack case trial On August 21, 2004, a grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue when the BNP-Jamaat alliance was in office. Sheikh Hasina, then leader of the opposition, was apparently the target. Although Sheikh Hasina fortunately escaped the attack unhurt, her hearing was affected badly. At least 13 grenades were thrown from the rooftops of a nearby building soon after Sheikh Hasina had finished her speech at the rally. Then the two cases -- one under the Explosive Substances Act and another for murder -- were filed in connection with the grenade attack. The then BNP-led government formed a one-member investigation committee comprising of High Court Justice Jainul Abedin on August 22, 2004. As the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was later assigned to deal with the cases, they made a cooked-up story of Joj Mia and arrested him with 20 other people in connection with the incident in June 2005. During the remand period, CID collected a false confession from Joj Mia, in which he said that he had taken part in the grenade attack in exchange of Tk 5000 following the orders of his big brothers. Read more: Will seek Tarique’s capital punishment in grenade attack case: Quader On June 11, 2008, CID assistant police superintendent Fazlul Kabir submitted two separate charge-sheets in the two cases, accusing 22 people, including Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami operations commander Mufti Abdul Hannan and Abdus Salam Pintu, where Joj Mia was proven not guilty. A court on August 3, 2009 ordered further investigation into the cases following petitions filed by the prosecution after the Awami League came to power. In July, 2011, a supplementary charge-sheet was submitted accusing 30 more people, including Tarique Rahman, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, Abul Harris Chowdhury and the Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed. Of the charge-sheeted accused, Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, and militant leaders Mufti Abdul Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul--were dropped from the cases as they had been executed after convictions in other cases.