Trial to be completed by next year, hopes chief counsel:Daily Sun

  The trial of August 21 grenade attack cases is yet to make any significant progress. But the chief counsel of the cases is still hopeful that the trial would be completed by August 21 next year. Syed Rezaur Rahman, the chief counsel of the cases told daily sun, “We are working hard to ensure a fair trial.” “We are hopeful the trial would be completed by August 21 next year,” he said. When asked
about the deadly incident, the state counsel said quoting charge sheets, “The attack was carried out to eliminate the AL leadership. The plan of the attack was taken at Hawa Bhaban, former political office of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, and ex-deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu’s house.” “The grenade was supplied from Pakistan,” he said, adding: “Arges grenade which was used in the attack is made in Pakistan only and used in war.” “The then BNP-led-four party alliance government made a Joj Miah drama to divert the incident hampering investigation of the cases. Joj Miah, a petty criminal, was implicated in the cases and the then CID obtained his confessional statement,” Rezaur Rahman also said. According to the charge sheets, Hawa Bhaban, different militant organisations and the then administration jointly collaborated in planning and staging the grisly attack. “Hawa Bhaban and the then administration aided and abetted the blasts and let the attackers flee the country.” Two cases were filed in connection with the blasts, one under explosive substances act and the other for killing people. On June 9, 2008, CID pressed charges against Abdus Salam Pintu, Huji chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and 20 others in the cases. After framing charges against them, the trial began in 2008 and the court recorded statements of 61 prosecution witnesses (PWs). In the meantime, AL formed government in 2009 and submitted petitions on August 3, 2009 for further investigation into the cases. Following a plea, the court ordered CID for further investigation in the cases. Later on July 3, 2011, CID submitted supplementary chargesheets against 30 people including Tarique Rahman, Lutfozzaman Babar, Harris Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed. On March 18, 2012, the court framed charges against Tarique Rahman and others. The second trial commenced on the following month. Tarique Rahman and 19 others have been absconding and 24 others including Babar, Pintu and Mojaheed are now in jail. Eight other are free on bail. Of the 19 fugitives, intelligence sources said, Tarique Rahman is now in London while Harris Chowdhury in Assam of India, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad in Bangkok, Mohammad Hanif, owner of Hanif Enterprise, in Kolkata, Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin in the USA, Lt Col (retd) Saiful Islam Joarder in Canada, Babu alias Ratul Babu in India, Anisul Morsalin and his brother Mohibul Muttakin in an Indian jail. Militant leaders Shafikur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Maulana Abu Bakar, Iqbal, Khalilur Rahman, Jahangir Alam alias Badar, Maulana Liton alias Zobair alias Delwar and Maulana Tajul Islam, then then deputy commissioner (east) Md Obaidur Rahman, the then deputy commissioner (south) Khan Syed Hasan are also staying abroad. Most of them are now in Pakistan, intelligence sources said. The government is taking an initiative to bring back them including BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman home, but the initiative is yet to yield success due to alleged negligence of the Ministry of Home Affairs.