HC upholds death penalty of 10

FE Team | Published: February 17, 2021 23:57:42

The High Court upheld the lower court verdict on Wednesday, sentencing 10 people to death in a case filed over the murder attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Kotalipara of Gopalganj in 2020, reports UNB.
The HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md. Badruzzaman pronounced the verdict virtually.
The death row-convicts are-- Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Yusuf alias Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar, Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maulana Abdur Rouf.
The HC further acquitted Sarwar Hosain who had been punished 14 years imprisonment by the lower court.
Besides, the HC asked to release Mahibullah alias Mafizur Rahman, who received 14 years imprisonment as he had already served the jail term.
The HC upheld the life term jail and 14 years imprisonment of Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud and Anisul alias Anis, respectively.
Earlier, the High Court fixed February 17 for delivering the verdict after law point arguments from both sides concluded on February 1.
On August 20 in 2017, Dhaka's Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 sentenced 10 people to death in this case.
Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, one of the accused, received life term and was fined Tk 10,000 in the case. The court also gave 14 years of rigorous imprisonment to three other accused including Md Anisul lslam alias Anis and fined Tk 10,000 each. A total of 10 people, including Khandaker Kamal Uddin, were also acquitted from the murder attempt charge.
The same court also gave nine people to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined them Tk 20,000 each in another case filed under Explosive Substances Act over the unearthing of 76 kg explosives near the rally venue of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj in 2000.
The 20-year imprisonment recipients are Md Yusuf alias Moshab Morol, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud, Asim Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman, Mahmud Azhar, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Shah Newaz and Sheikh Md Enamul Haque.
On July 20 in 2000, Police found a 76-kilogram bomb in front of a shop adjacent to Sheikh Lutfur Rahman Govt High School, where Sheikh Hasina was supposed to address a rally on July 22.
Another 40-kg heavy bomb was also recovered by an Army bomb expert squad from near the Kotalipara helipad on July 23.
Nur Hossain, sub-inspector of Kotalipara Police Station, filed a case under the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the incident.
Police pressed charges against 16 people, including executed Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, on April 8 in 2001.
On June 29 in 2009, police submitted a complementary charge sheet implicating nine more people.
Mufti Hannan was executed on April 12 in 2017 over the grenade attack on the then UK High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury at Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet in 2004.