Staff Correspondent
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 19) began hearing the state’s appeal against the acquittal of all accused, including Tarique Rahman and former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, in the August 21 grenade attack case. A six-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, is conducting the proceedings. Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Masud represented the state, while defense counsels Advocate S.M. Shahjahan and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir argued for the acquitted accused. Senior lawyers from BNP, including Zainul Abedin, were present in court.
The High Court had acquitted all 38 accused, including death-row convict Babar and life-term convict Tarique Rahman, on January 12 this year, declaring the trial court’s proceedings legally flawed. The 2004 attack during an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue killed 24 people, including Ivy Rahman, and injured hundreds, including current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In 2018, a lower court had sentenced 19 to death (including Babar) and 19 to life imprisonment (including Tarique).
During the second day of appeal hearings, the state argued that the High Court improperly overturned the trial verdict without proper legal consideration. The defense maintained that charges were unproven and politically motivated. Legal experts suggest the hearings may continue for several days, with the final verdict likely to significantly impact Bangladesh’s political landscape.
Notably, several convicts, including acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, remain fugitives abroad. Among death-row convicts are former ministers, ex-military officers, and militant leaders, while life-term convicts include prominent BNP leaders like Harris Chowdhury. The case’s outcome is expected to reshape the country’s political dynamics.