Laldighi massacre: Court cancels bail of 4 accused

A Chattogram court today cancelled the bail of four accused and sent them to jail in the case filed over the 1988 Laldighi Maidan massacre of Awami League members.

The four – Mostafizur Rahman, Pradeep Barua, Shah Md Abdullah and Mumtaz Uddin – are police officials.

Advocate Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, public prosecutor of Chattogram Divisional Special Judge's Court, said the state had finished presenting arguments in the case and the court would hear the arguments of the accused on Monday.

He said, "We have informed the court that Kotwali zone patrol inspector JC Mondal, in line with the order of the then Chattogram Metropolitan Police commissioner Mirza Rakibul Huda, had planned the massacre with the connivance of rogue police officials."

The state presented argument in the court of acting Divisional Special Judge Md Ismail Hossain.

On January 14, the recording of deposition in this sensational case ended. A total of 53 witnesses, including former ministers, journalists and teachers, testified.

On January 24, 1988, the Awami League organised a rally at Laldighi Maidan. Police opened fire on party chief Sheikh Hasina's car when it was on its way to the rally.

Twenty-four Awami League leaders and activists were killed in the police firings.

On March 5, 1992, lawyer Md Shahidul Huda filed a case in this connection. After the formation of the Awami League government in 1996, the case was revived.

On court orders, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigated the case and on January 12, 1997, submitted the first charge-sheet.

After further investigation, the CID submitted the second charge-sheet on November 3, 1998.

In the charge sheet, eight policemen, including Mirza Rakibul Huda, were named as accused.

On May 7, 2000, the court started framing charges against the accused.

The eight accused are Kotwali zone Constable Abdus Salam, Mostafizur Rahman, Pradeep Barua, Bashir Uddin, Shah Md Abdullah, Mumtaz Uddin, and Mirza Rakibul Huda.