United News of Bangladesh

A Dhaka court on Thursday acquitted  BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and four  others in a bribery case. Judge of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 Md Abu Taher passed the order. The six others who got acquittal are Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam, chairman of Bashundhara Group, his two sons Shafiat Sobhan, Sadat Sobhan, Abu Sufiyan, Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal and personal secretary of Tarique Rahman Mia Nuruddin Apu. HC Justice Khizir Hayat removed On October 4, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against eight people Tarique, Babar in connection with realising Tk 21 lakh as bribery for dropping the name of an accused from the murder case of Sabbir Ahmed, an expert of Information Technology department of Bashundhara Group. Police submitted chargesheet against them on April 24, 2008.

The state on Wednesday filed an appeal against the High Court verdict that had acquitted all accused including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar in the 21st August grenade attack case. Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Bhuiya, additional attorney general,  filed the appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, said the Attorney General's office. On 12th January, the High Court acquitted Tarique Rahman, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and Lutfozzaman Babar, ,who had been sentenced to death, along with other accused in case. The HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the judgment. Tarique Rahman, Mamun acquitted in money laundering case The grenade attack was carried out on August 21, 2004 in Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Avenue that left  24 people dead nearly 300 others injrued. On October 10, 2018, a Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal pronounced a verdict in one of the cases (pertaining to murder and explosives). The tribunal sentenced 19 accused, including Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy education minister Abdus Salam Pintu, to death. Besides, 19 others, including Tarique Rahman, were handed life term imprisonment while 11 accused received various terms of imprisonment and fines. The judgment was subsequently transferred to the HC in 2018, registered as a death reference case. The grenade attack on August 21, 2004 prompted the filing of two cases—one for murder and another for explosives—at Motijheel Police Station. Tarique Rahman urges Ulema to consider unified Ramadan, Eid observance In 2008, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) charged 22 people, alleging that the attack was orchestrated by militants aiming to assassinate Sheikh Hasina and render the Awami League leaderless. Subsequently, under the Awami League government, further investigation led to the submission of an additional charge sheet, naming 30 people, including Tarique Rahman.

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday acquitted former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar from 17 years of imprisonment in a case over recovery of arms from his Gulshan house around 21 years back. An HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasrin Akter passed the order after disposing of a rule in this regard, said the defendant’s lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir. According to the case statement, law enforcers had recovered “illegal arms and several rounds of bullets from his bedroom” at his Gulshan residence on May 28, 2007. On June 3, a case was filed accusing him with Gulshan police station in this regard. On October 30 of the same year, a Dhaka court sentenced him to 17 years of imprisonment, while the convict submitted an appeal to the HC, challenging the verdict. Lutfozzaman Babar finally walks out of jail Issuing a rule, the HC stayed activities of the case later. Babar was arrested on May 28, 2007 and he had been in jail for around 17 years since then. Following the political changeover on August 5 last, he walked out of the jail on January 16 this year after securing bail and acquitting in cases.

Former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar has been admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suddenly falling ill en route to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. Mirza Haider Ali, Babar’s personal assistant said Babar, along with his son Labib Ibn Zaman left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia via Dubai on an Emirates Airlines flight from Dhaka at 6pm on Thursday to perform Umrah. He said Babar fell severely ill with breathing difficulties while en route to Madinah from Dhaka aboard the Emirates Airlines flight. After the plane landed in Dubai, Haider said, the BNP leader was quickly taken to a clinic near the airport, where doctors advised immediate hospitalisation after conducting a check-up. "He is currently admitted to a hospital in Dubai and is under intensive observation by the doctors," he said. Haider said Babar’s eldest son is with him at the hospital. Read: BNP’s Babar under close observation in United Hospital He said Babar will go to Saudi Arabia form Dubai to perform Umrah after he is discharged from the hospital. Haider said Babar and his son Labib Ibn Zaman, left for Madinah on an Emirates flight at 6pm. A few hours earlier, Babar’s wife and other family members had also departed for Madinah on a separate flight. Upon reaching Madinah, they were informed that Babar had been hospitalised in Dubai, Haider said. Babar had planned to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia, starting in Madinah and then proceeding to Makkah with his family. Read more: Babar breaks down in tears at Ziaur Rahman’s grave Earlier on January 19, Babar was admitted to United Hospital in the capital with chest pain and received treatment under close observation in its Coronary Care Unit (CCU). The former state minister was released from prison on January 16 after 17 years of incarceration, following his acquittal in all cases against him.

Former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who was admitted to United Hospital in the capital with chest pain, has been kept under close observation in its Coronary Care Unit (CCU). “Doctors have kept him under close observation. His echocardiogram was done in the morning, and other tests are going on,” said Mirza Haider Ali, Babar’s personal assistant. Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Babar in the morning. Babar breaks down in tears at Ziaur Rahman’s grave He talked to the doctors and enquired about Babar’s physical condition. Babar was rushed to United Hospital on Sunday after he complained of chest pain at his Gulshan residence.  He has been undergoing treatment under the supervision of cardiologist Dr Kaisar Nasrullah Khan at the hospital. 10-truck arms haul cases: Babar, 4 others acquitted in another case The former state minister was released from prison on January 16 after 17 years of incarceration, following his acquittal in all cases against him.

Lutfozzaman Babar, former state minister for home affairs, walked free after 17 years in prison, receiving a warm reception from BNP leaders and activists at the jail gate. “He walked out of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj around 2 pm,” said jailer Bashiruddin. Babar will first pay respects at the grave of BNP founder and late president Ziaur Rahman, followed by a visit to the BNP office in Paltan. He will then travel to his ancestral home in Netrakona. 10-truck arms haul cases: Babar, 4 others acquitted in another case The High Court on Tuesday acquitted five people, including Lutfozzaman Babar, in a case filed under the Arms Act over the sensational 10-truck arms haul. The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasreen Akter passed the order after hearing. Earlier, on December 18, last year, the High Court acquitted six death-row convicts including Lutfozzaman Babar in a case filed under the Special Powers Act. On April 1, 2004, 10 trucks of arms were seized at the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd jetty. Two cases – one under the Arms Act and another under the Special Powers Act – were filed with Karnaphuli Police Station the following day, naming 50 people as accused in the arms case and 52 in the other. Babar among 6 acquitted in ten-truck arms haul case On January 30, 2014, Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Mujibur Rahman sentenced 14 people, including Babar, to death under the Special Powers Act. They were also handed life imprisonment and seven years' imprisonment each under two sections of the arms case.

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday acquitted six death-row convicts, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, in the sensational 10-truck arms haul cases. The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasreen Akter passed the order. The court also commuted the death sentence of six convicts to 10 years' imprisonment in the case. Indian separatist outfit United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) chief Paresh Barua, another death-row convict, had his sentence reduced to life imprisonment. High Court rejects ex-NBR Official Matiur’s writ petition to travel abroad The court also exempted former National Security Intelligence director general Abdur Rahim from the case. The case dates back to April 1, 2004, when 10 truckloads of arms were seized at the Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) jetty. Immunity provision in quick rental act illegal: High Court Two cases – one under the Arms Act and another under the Special Powers Act – were filed with Karnaphuli Police Station the following day, naming 50 people as accused in the arms case and 52 in the other. On January 30, 2014, Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Mujibur Rahman sentenced 14 people to death under the Special Powers Act. They were also handed life imprisonment and seven years' imprisonment each under two sections of the arms case. The 14 sentenced to death included former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, ULFA chief Paresh Barua, former DGFI director Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, and former NSI director general Abdur Rahim. The charges were related to smuggling under the Special Powers Act. Of these convicts, Motiur Rahman Nizami was executed in 2016 for crimes against humanity.  

The High Court on Wednesday acquitted former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar in a corruption case related to acquiring wealth beyond his known sources of income. The ruling came after Babar filed an appeal challenging the lower court’s conviction. The bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah delivered the acquittal. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir represented Babar during the hearing, while Advocate AKM Fazlul Haque argued on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Despite this acquittal, Babar will remain behind bars as he faces 13 other cases. Court imposes travel ban on ex-DG of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy The ACC initially filed the corruption case against Babar on January 13, 2008, at the Ramna Model Police Station. A charge sheet was submitted by ACC deputy assistant secretary Rupok Kumar Saha on July 16, 2008. Babar was first arrested from his Gulshan residence on May 28, 2007. Later that year, on October 30, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison in an arms case. Babar also received the death penalty in two high-profile cases: the 10-truck arms haul case and the August 21 grenade attack case. In 2018, a fast-track tribunal sentenced Babar, along with 18 others, to death for his role in the grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004, which killed and injured numerous people.

The High Court on Monday accepted former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar appeal against his eight-year jail term for amassing ill-gotten wealth worth Tk 7.5 crore and hiding the information. A single bench of Justice Md Selim passed the order and also stayed Babar's fine in this case. Read: Babar gets 8 years in graft case Lawyer Ruhul Quddus Kajal appeared for the appeal while lawyer Md Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Earlier on October 12, Dhaka Special Judge Court-7 sentenced Babar to eight years in jail in this case. The court also imposed a fine of Tk 10,000 on Babar and ordered the forfeiture of over Tk 6.26 crore in his bank account. Babar will have to undergo an additional three months' imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine. Later, Babar’s counsel appealed to the court against the judgment. On January 13, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the corruption case against Babar at the Ramna Model Police Station. On July 16, 2008, deputy assistant secretary of ACC, Rupok Kumar Saha, submitted a charge sheet against him. Read:Judgment in Babar’s graft case on Oct 12 Babar was arrested from his Gulshan residence on May 28, 2007. He was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in an arms case on October 30, 2007. He was also sentenced to death in the 10-truck arms haul and August 21 grenade attack cases. In 2018, a fast-track tribunal sentenced 19 people, including Babar, to death in the case filed over the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.