A Dhaka Court is expected to pronounce a verdict today in the murder case over the 2001 bomb attack on a political rally of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka that killed eight persons and injured over 50.
Main accused Mufti Abdul Hannan and 12 other members of banned Islamist outfit Harkat-al-Jihad al-Islami (Huji) had been charged for the attacks.
After conclusion of the hearing of arguments in the case, on December 1, Judge Md Robiul Islam of the Metropolitan Session Special Tribunal-4 in Dhaka set the date for delivering the judgment in the case.
One of the defense counsels—Md Faruk Ahmed said: "The prosecution has failed to prove charges brought against our clients in the case, so they would be acquitted from all the charges."
Besides, the Assistant Public Prosecutor of the special tribunal-4 Md Salauddin Howlader in his concluding argument sought maximum punishment for all the accused in the case claiming that they have successfully proved their points.
Among the 13 accused, Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Mufti Mainuddin Khaja alias Abu Jandal, Arif Hasan Suman, Maulana Sabbir Hossain, and Shawkat Osman are now in Jail.
The eight others are Md Moshiur Rahman ,Maulana Abdul Hai, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Jahangir Alam Badar, Nurul Islam, Mohibul Muttakim, Anisul Morsalin and Rafiqul Islam Miraj, who are on the run.
Of the accused, Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan was hanged in a case filed over the grenade attack on ex-British envoy Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet on April 12, 2017.
A total of 46 out of 137 prosecution witnesses including several eyewitnesses testified before the court in this case.
On September 4, 2014, the court framed charges against 13 activists of banned Islamist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (Huji) in a case filed with Motijheel police station.
On November 27, 2013, Investigation Officer (IO) Mrinal Kanti Saha, also an inspector of the police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted the charge sheet before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka, accusing Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami (Huji) for the grizzly attack.
Manzurul Ahsan Khan, the then president of the CPB, filed the case with Motijheel police station. He alleged that a group of anti-state conspirators carried out the attack on January 20, 2001, during the Awami League led government.
Two years into the attack, during the government of BNP-Jamaat led four party alliance, the CID had submitted a final report on December 17, 2003, accusing none.
However, on January 27, 2005, in a dramatic turn of events, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate asked the authorities to re-investigate the matter following a petition for fresh probe into the cases.
Nine and a half years after the attack, participation of Huji members in the bomb blast re-emerged when Mufti Mainuddin Khaja alias Abu Jandal had shouldered responsibility in a judicial confessional statement.
In his statement, Abu Jandal said the Huji men had carried out the bomb attack on the CPB rally where five people were killed. While escaping, the attackers detonated another bomb on Bangabandhu Avenue in Gulistan that had killed three people including two street-vendors.
