Aug 21 grenade attack trial starts Sept 11

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A Dhaka court has set Sept 11 for trial to start in a case involving grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004, reports bdnews24.com. brJudge Md Masder Hossain of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 for Dhaka set the date Monday on the appeal of the defence and the prosecution. brBoth sides said they had not have adequate preparation for hearing on charge-framing. brMonday's court was supposed to hear the appeal for scrapping the confessional statement of militant outfit Harkatul Jihad chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, one of the main accused in the case. brThe prisons authorities were also supposed to submit the prisons doctor's report on the illness of another accused Ujjal Hossain Ratan. brSome 13 accused in the case including Mufti Hannan and former deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu were taken to the court on the day. Eight other accused persons remained fugitive. brSpecial public prosecutor Kamrul Hassan told the news agency, According to the speedy trial tribunal law the trial of a case should be disposed in 135 days, but the trial of the case in question is likely to drag on. brBecause the accused will appeal to the High Court (HC) immediately after charge-framing, he said. brEarlier hearing on charge-framing was being held at the Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court-2 for Dhaka. brThe Home Ministry on Aug 25 published a gazette to transfer the trial of the case to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-2. brGrenades were detonated on the rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on that day, leaving 24 people including senior AL leader Ivy Rahman dead and scores injured. It is believed to be an attempt on the life of party president Sheikh Hasina who had escaped the attack but lost partial hearing ability.