The trial process of the explosives case filed in connection with the Ramna Batamul blast is apparently being delayed as prosecutors were more “busy” in preparing for the August 21 grenade attack cases.
Md Abdullah Abu Bhuiyan, special public prosecutor of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 – where the case is pending, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are busy with the August 21 grenade attack cases, so the trial of the Ramna blast case is delayed.
“We are not finding the time to issue summons to witnesses to appear before the court and giving depositions, as we are busy with the grenade attack cases,” said Abdullah.
Ten people were killed and many others were injured when a bomb attack hit Chhayanaut’s Pahela Baishakh celebrations at the capital’s Ramna Park on April 14, 2011.
Following the incident, Sergeant Amal Chanda of Babupura police outpost filed two cases – one for the killings and the other for explosive substance act – with Ramna police station.
Although on June 23 this year, Dhaka Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ruhul Amin handed down death sentences to eight persons, including Huji chief Mufti Hannan, and life imprisonment to six others in the Ramna Batamul killing case; no significant progress has been made in the case filed under the explosive substances act.
Although the incident took place over 13 years ago, the court has so far recorded depositions of only seven prosecution witnesses out of 84 in the case.
Defence counsel Faruque Ahmed also told the Dhaka Tribune: “The prosecution is busy over the August 21 grenade attack cases, so trial of the case is being delayed.
“We also want quick disposal of the case,” he added.
Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 is scheduled to hear prosecution witnesses again on January 8 next year.
According to the case details, it took more than seven years for investigators to find out Huji links with the bloodbath.
After six enquirers were changed, Inspector Abu Hena Md Yusuf of CID was appointed investigation officer of the case and he pressed the charges in the two cases against 14 militants including Mufti Hannan on November 30, 2008; over seven and half years after the tragic incident.
The accused in the charge sheet are Huji chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Moulana Yahiya, Mufti Abdul Hye, Moulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid, Moulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Hawlader, Moulana Mohammad Tajuddin, Moulana Abdul Hannan Sabbir, Arif Hasan Suman, Moulana Akbar Hossain alias Helaluddin, Moulana Abu Taher, Moulana Abdur Rouf, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar and Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel.
Of them, Hannan, Suman, Jewel, Abu Taher, Rouf and Akbar are behind bars while the others are still at large.
During investigation, Mufti Hannan and Akbar confessed to their guilt before the magistrate under section 164 of CrPC.
The accused admitted to have carried out the attack on the Bangla New Year celebration as they believed such function was anti-Islamic. Another accused Arif also made a confessional statement in the case.