A Chittagong court has observed that the role of the then prime minister [Khaleda Zia] over the sensational 10-truck arms haul was "mysterious."
A Chittagong special court said this in its full verdict in the arms smuggling and arms of the 10-truck arms haul.
It said the then director general of the DGFI Maj Gen (retd) Sadik Hasan Rumi phoned Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to inform her about the arms haul, but the Khaleda did not express any reaction only saying that she had been informed.
Being informed of such an immense incident, the silent role of the then prime minister is mysterious, it added.
10 years of 10-truck arms haul
Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge and Special Tribunal 1 hs released the full verdict in the arms smuggling cases of the 10-truck arms haul on Tuesday afternoon.
It also said the smuggling was carried out in order to strengthen Indian separatist organisation United National Liberation Front (ULFA).
On January 30, the court sentenced 14, including two ministers -- Matiur Rahman Nizami and Lutfozzaman Babar -- of the then BNP-led 4-party alliance government and ULFA leader Paresh Barua, to death in arms smuggling case of the 10-truck arms haul.
The convicts in the cases have also ignored about the reputation of the Defence of our country, the court observed.
Some disgruntled army officials have disgraced our foreign policy by being involved with the incident.
“The incident occurred at a time when Lutfozzaman Babar was state minister for home and Motiur Rahman Nizami was the industries minister of the then BNP-led four-party alliance government. And Babar wanted to cover up the incident,” it added.