Prosecution ends factual arguments

The prosecution concluded its arguments on the facts of August 21, 2004 grenade attack case as the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 adjourned the hearing of the case until January 01, reports BSS.
"We have placed arguments on the testimonies of 225 prosecution witnesses and 20 defence witnesses. We have quoted parts of these testimonies during our arguments. We believe depositions given by the defence witnesses will become helpful in proving the case against the defence itself," chief prosecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman told the news agency.
The senior jurist also expressed the hope that the prosecution will be able to sum up the arguments finally on the next hearing date.
"We will place legal arguments on that day and will refer different sensational cases as well," Rahman added.
Judge Shahed Nur Uddin asked the defence to be prepared to start placing their part of arguments on January 1.
The prosecution in their earlier arguments had said a total of five local and foreign militant outfits were involved in the barbaric attack, killing 24 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami League.
"Harkat-ul Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), Kashmir-based separatist organization Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Tehrik Jihad-e Islam, Lashkar-e Tyaba and Myanmar-based Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) were involved in the monstrous attack," the chief prosecutor said.
"Apart from these groups, Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and then BNP-Jamaat alliance government orchestrated the attack. The then government used Ministry of Home Affairs, DGFI, NSI and Bangladesh Police in executing the conspiracy," he added.
A total of 24 AL leaders and workers including the then Mohila Awami League president and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, Ivy Rahman, were killed and 500 others were injured.