The apex court will deliver verdict Wednesday in the appeals of two death-row convict militants of banned outfit Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh (HujiB) including its top leader Mufti Abdul Hannan in a case filed for the assassination attempt on former British envoy Anwar Choudhury in 2004.
The four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed the date Tuesday after a hearing.
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Three people, including an assistant sub-inspector of the police were killed while former UK high commissioner Anwar and 70 others injured in a grenade attack at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet on May 21, 2004.
Born in Sunamganj and a naturalised British citizen, Anwar served as the British high commissioner to Bangladesh from 2004 to 2008. He is currently serving as the ambassador to Peru.
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Three militants of the banned group – Mufti Hannan, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Md Delwar Hossain alias Ripon – were sentenced to death while two others – Hannan’s brother Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Mainuddin Khaja alias Abu Jandal – were given life sentence by the Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 23, 2008.
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The High Court upheld the verdict in February this year. Hannan and Bipul then appealed against the sentences in July.
Mufti Hannan and seven others were sentenced to death in 2014 for killing 10 people during the Pohela Boishakh celebrations at Ramna Batamul in 2001. He is also a prime accused in the August 21 grenade attack case.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
