The High Court yesterday accepted for hearing the appeal filed by death row convict Motiur Rahman Nizami, also Jamaat-e-Islami chief, challenging his conviction by the Chittagong lower court in the 10-truck arms haul cases.
A bench comprising Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore also accepted the appeals of three lifers — former director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI) Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, then director of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Maj Gen (retd) Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury who was later appointed as the DG of NSI and former deputy director of NSI Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain for hearing in the case filed under the Arms Act.
The High Court earlier accepted their appeals in the case lodged under the Special Powers Act. They were sentenced to death in the case.
Except for the fugitives-- Ulfa leader Paresh Barua and former additional secretary of the industries ministry Nurul Amin, the 12 other death row convicts had lodged appeals with the HC on different dates.
They are BNP’s former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, Jamaat chief Nizami, Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, Maj Gen (retd) Rezzaqul, former NSI director wing commander (retd) Shahab Uddin, Maj (retd) Liakat, former NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, ex-CUFL managing director Mohsin Talukder, former CUFL general manager (admin) KM Enamul Hoque, smuggler Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Deen Mohammad, and fishing trawler owner Hazi Abdus Sobhan.
On April 1 in 2004, police seized 10 truckloads of illegal arms and ammunition at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd.
