The prosecution hopes that the two cases filed over the killing of five people including former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria will end in the next six months as it is now at the trial stage, nearly 10 years after the grenade attack.
Families of the victims and local people too hope that those responsible for the attack would be given exemplary punishment.
Prosecutor Alamgir Bhuiyan Babul said the case would soon be transferred to the Sylhet Speedy Trial Tribunal for quick trial. “We hope that the case can be disposed of in six months.”
Babul said they would not hesitate to take risks in dealing with the cases.
Five people including Kibria were killed in a grenade attack after attending a rally in Boidyer Bazar of Habiganj on January 27, 2005. The former minister was critically injured in the attack and died on the way to hospital.
The four other deceased were his nephew Shah Manzurul Huda, and Awami League leaders Abdur Rahim, Abul Hossain and Siddique Ali. Over 100 people were injured the grenade attack.
Sylhet district unit Awami League leader Abdul Mazid Khan MP filed two cases the following day – for murder and use of explosives. Then the police superintendent of Habiganj, Emdadul Haque, had been dismissed for diverting the motive and merit of the case.
Recently, police filed supplementary charge sheets in the cases adding the names of 11 people including the mayors of Sylhet and Habiganj, and Harris Chowdhury, a former political adviser to Khaleda Zia.
The government also suspended Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Habiganj Municipality Mayor GK Gaus as their names appeared as accused in the cases. A Habiganj court on January 25 ordered the seizure of all properties owned by 10 fugitive accused in the cases.
“As the supplementary charge sheets have been pressed after around nine years and a half months, we hope that the trial will end during the tenure of the incumbent government and the killers be punished,” Mazid told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Awami League’s district unit President Abu Zahir, who was also injured in the attack, said the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government had tried to stage “Joj Mia” drama with these sensational cases. “But now the trial has begun adding the names of main culprits.”
The Awami League, its front organisations and Kibria Smriti Sangsad will observe the day through different programmes including placing wreaths at the memorial in Boidyer Bazar, special prayers and discussions.
Kibria’s wife Asma Kibria said the police did not allow the family to observe pre-scheduled candlelight vigil considering the current political situation. Fresh programmes would be announced in February, she said.
Other accused in the cases include former home state minister Lutfozzaman Babar and 11 leaders of banned Islamist outfit Huji.
Kibria joined the Awami League in 1994 and became its adviser. He was made finance minister in 1996 and elected a lawmaker in 2001 from Habiganj 3 constituency (Sadar and Lakhai).