Almost 24 years after a grenade attack at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s residence, the verdict of an explosives case in this regard is expected in April, as trial proceeding of the case is nearing its end.
On August 11, 1989, some Freedom Party leaders and activists had allegedly tried to kill Sheikh Hasina at her Dhanmondi residence by throwing grenades.
Asked about the verdict of the case, Additional Public Prosecutor of the court ABM Bashir Uddin Miah told the Dhaka Tribune: “The recording of depositions and cross-examinations of prosecution witnesses have been concluded; a few more days are needed to complete the trial proceeding, and the verdict may be handed down in April.”
The trial proceeding of the case is running at the Dhaka’s Fourth Additional Metropolitan and Session’s Judge AHM Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan’s court.
The court completed recording the statements and the cross-examinations of all 13 prosecution witnesses in the case yesterday, by recording the deposition of the case investigation officer Md Khalequzzaman, while the defence counsel Md Shajahan also cross-examined him.
The court also fixed March 19 for self-defence hearing.
According to the case details, on the night of August 11, 1989, some militants who are also leaders of the Freedom Party attacked the Dhanmondi 32 residence of the Awami League president to kill her. Hasina, now the prime minister, was at her house during the incident. At that time, the security guard of her house opened fire.
In this connection, the then security guard Habilder Md Jahirul Haque filed the case under the explosives substances act against some unknown accused with the Dhanmondi police station the same day.
The police initially submitted its final report in 1996 during the first tenure of the Awami League government. After re-investigation, the CID submitted the charge sheet.
On February 20, 1997, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Assistant Superintendent Md Khalequzzaman, also investigation officer of the case, pressed charges against 16 people including Freedom Party chief Lt Col (retd) Farooq Rahman and Maj Bazlul Huda.
The court framed the charges against the accused on July 16, 1997.
Of the accused, Sohel alias Freedom Sohel, Md Golam Sarwar alias Mamun and Joj Miah are now in jail, while Humayun Kabir, Mizanur Rahman, Khondoker Amirul Islam and Md Shajahan alias Balu are on bail.
Five accused absconding from the beginning are Lt Col (retd) Khondoker Rashid, Jafor Ahmed alias Manik, Syed Nazmul Maksud, Gazi Imam Hossain and Md Humayun Kabir.
The main accused of the case, Lt Col Syed Farooq Rahman and Maj Bazlul Huda, were hanged in Bangabandhu murder case on January 28, 2010. Two other accused – Gazi Liakat Hossain and Rezaul Islam Khan – have died.
Of the accused, Humayun, Rezaul and Liakat made confessional statement on September 23, 1996, before the court.
In connection with the attack, another case was filed against the same accused for the attempted murder of Hasina.
Proceedings of that case is also nearing its end, with the same court set to record final arguments from both sides on March 3.
