"Hearing on the appeal against the acquittal of 49 accused in the August 21 attack case will be held on May 4."

Dhaka, Bangladesh || Saturday, 24 May 2025 || 10 Jyoishtho 1432

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"Hearing on the appeal against the acquittal of 49 accused in the August 21 attack case will be held on May 4."

Published : Sunday, 27 April, 2025 at 4:43 PM, Count : 104

The hearing on the appeal filed by the state against the acquittal of 49 convicted accused in the much-discussed August 21 grenade attack cases has been scheduled for May 4. A bench of the Appellate Division, led by senior judge Md. Ashfaqul Islam, fixed the date on Sunday. Lawyers SM Shahjahan and Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for the accused during the hearing.

On December 1, the High Court acquitted all the accused, including former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, who had been sentenced to death, and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court. The verdict was delivered by a High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain. The full 79-page judgment was later published on December 19.

In the judgment, the court observed that a proper and independent investigation into the killings was necessary to ensure justice for the victims, something which had been entirely absent in this case so far. The High Court directed that a fresh investigation be conducted by a competent and skilled agency, and that necessary actions be taken accordingly. The court also ordered that a copy of the judgment be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Following the High Court’s verdict, the state filed an appeal against the acquittals.

The horrific grenade attack occurred two decades ago, on August 21, 2004, at an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. While Awami League President and then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly survived, 24 people, including the party's Women’s Affairs Secretary and former President Zillur Rahman’s wife, Ivy Rahman, were killed. Over 300 leaders and activists were injured. Two cases—one for murder and one under the Explosives Act—were filed following the attack. On October 10, 2018, the trial court delivered its verdict in both cases.

In that verdict, the Dhaka trial court sentenced 19 people, including former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, to death; 19 others, including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to life imprisonment; and 11 others to various terms of imprisonment. Following the trial court’s judgment, the convicted individuals filed separate appeals with the High Court. Meanwhile, the state submitted a death reference seeking confirmation of the death sentences. Among those sentenced to death were 14 members of the militant organization Harkat-ul-Jihad (HuJI).

On August 5, under the Awami League government, a fresh hearing on the two cases began in the High Court. After completing the hearing on the appeals, the High Court delivered its verdict on December 1.

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