Verdict of appeal in Sheikh Hasina murder attempt case 17 February

The High Court has set 17 February for announcement of the verdict of appeal on the death sentence in a case filed over the attempted assassination of Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In July 2000, a bomb was planted at Kotalipara in Gopalganj, near the venue of a rally scheduled to be attended by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

An HC bench comprising of Justices Jahangir Hossain Selim and Md Badruzzaman set the date for the verdict on Monday, after the state and the accused completed their arguments, said Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ullah.

Judge Mamtaz Begum of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 passed the verdict of the case on 20 August 2017, sentencing the ten accused to death.

Four accused were sentenced to imprisonment of different durations. All documents, including the verdict of the case, were sent to the High Court on August 24 that same year. After the documents were presented to the Chief Justice, he directed that a paperbook be prepared on an urgent basis. The case was placed on the agenda for hearing.

The convicts sentenced to death are: Wasim Akhtar, Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Yusuf alias Abu Musa Harun, Sheikh Farid alias Maolana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badr, Maolana Abu Bakar, Hafez Maolana Yahya, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maolana Abdur Rauf alias Abu Omar.

Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000. Anisul alias Anis, Md Mahibullah alias Mofizur Rahman and Sarwar Hossain Mia were sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and one more year for non-payment of a fine of Tk10,000.

On 20 July 2000, a 76 kg bomb was planted near the meeting venue of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj. The bomb had been timed to detonate when Hasina came up to speak at the rally. The erstwhile Sub-Inspector (SI) of Kotalipara Police Station Nur Hossain filed a case in this regard.

On 8 April 2001, a charge sheet in the case was submitted against 16 individuals. Subsequently, on June 29, 2009, nine more persons were included in the list of accused and supplementary charge sheets were submitted. In 2010, the case was sent for quick disposal to Dhaka-2 Speedy Trial Tribunal, where the trial was completed.