Ramna Batamul verdict deferred to June 23

A Dhaka court on Monday deferred to June 23 the verdict in the much-talked-about Ramna Batamul blast case. Dhaka’s Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge M Ruhul Amin fixed the fresh date as the Judge could not complete writing the verdict. The nine arrested accused, including Mufti Abdul Hannan, the chief of banned Islamist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Al Islami (Huji), were earlier produced before the court while the remaining five accused are on the run. Defense and state lawyers and large number of journalists were present in the court as on May 28, the court fixed the date of verdict in the case for today (Monday) after the defence completed placing arguments. Fresh arguments in the sensational case began on May 8 following a gross mistake made by the state side in placing the documentary evidence in the court. The blast that took place during Pahela Baishakh celebrations of Chhayanaut on April 14 in 2001 left 10 people dead and scores of others injured. After the incident, Babupura Police outpost sergeant Amal Kumar Chanda filed two cases with the Ramna Police Station. Over seven and half years after the Ramna bloodbath, the Criminal Investigation Department on November 30, 2008 pressed charges against 14 operatives of banned Islamist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Al Islami (Huji), including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan. The court framed charges against the accused on April 16, 2009, according to a news agency.