A Sylhet court on Wednesday issued arrest warrant against six witnesses in connection with the bomb explosion near Awami League President Sheikh Hasina's Sylhet rally in 2001.
Special Sessions Judge Md Maidul Islam issued the arrest warrant against Md Abu Kalam of Munsiganj, Rais Ali of Kandigaon union, Bipun Singh of Masimpur, Salam and Abdus Shahid of Sylhet town. The court also fixed November 26 for next hearing.
Among the six accused in the case, Mufti Abdul Hannan of JMB and HuJi leader Maolana Abu Sayeed are already behind the bars. The other four, Dr Arif Ahmed Mumtaz alias Rifa, Masum Ahmed, Shafiq and Obaida Harun are on bail.
They appeared before the court on Wednesday but since there was no witnesses present, the court deferred the hearing. Mufti Abdul Hannan and Maolana Abu Syed could not be present as they had to appear before a Dhaka court in another case.
In September 26 of 2001, two persons died in an explosion while making bomb at a house near Sheikh Hasina's Sylhet rally. Though a case was filed on September 27, the chargesheet was submitted after a long time in March 15 of 2004. Later in 2010, the accused were indicted and trial of the case began.