Satkhira Aug 17 JMB Blast Cases
Khulna STT could not record statement as complainant, witnesses did not turn up
Staff Correspondent, Khulna
Judge Abdus Salam Shikder of Khulna divisional speedy Trial Tribunal could not record statement of any of the 40 prosecution witnesses in five cases filed with Satkhira Sadar police station against 19 cadres of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for August 17 serial bomb blasts in 2005.Ten out of 19 chargesheeted accused were present in the court but none of prosecution witnesses including the complainant turned up for deposition yesterday. Six chargesheeted accused of the five cases are absconding while death penalty given to three others were executed earlier in the Jhalakati judges murder cases. They are JMB top leaders Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Ataur Rahman Sani. The court will resume today for hearing of prosecution witnesses of Satkhira bomb blast cases. Non-appearance of prosecution witnesses and complainant of the cases were reportedly taken in seriously both by the Judge and the lawyers. This reporter made several attempts but failed to to contact the judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal over cell to know his reaction about non-appearance of complainant and prosecution witnesses. The court on Sunday started trial of seven cases filed in Kushtia and Satkhira districts in connection with the August 17 blasts. Of these, two were filed with Kushtia Sadar police station and five in Satkhira. On Sunday, statements of two prosecution witnesses of two cases of Kushtia were recorded. Recording of statements will continue till Wednesday. Court sources said that trial of one out of three August 17 serial bomb blast cases filed in Kushita has been completed. Accused Habibur Rahman, Shamsul Alam, Md Akbar Ali and Hafez Mahmud now in jail were produced before the tribunal on Sunday. Accused Habibur Rahman now in jail and accused Mashiar Rahman now at large made statements to the magistrate under Section 164, confessing to their involvement in the serial blasts in Kushtia. Charges against the eight charge sheeted accused of these two cases were framed on May 24 by Judge Abdus Salam Shikdar. Names of Bangla Bhai, Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Ataur Rahman Sani were left out of case docket. ASI Anil Bihari Nath of Kushtia Sadar police station who is complainant of two Kushtia cases and Md Joni Hossain who was an eye witness submitted deposition in the tribunal on Sunday. There are 18 more prosecution witnesses of these two cases of Kushtia. The next date for hearing has been fixed on June 24. These two cases were transferred to Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal from the Second Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kushtia on May 21 on orders from the home ministry.
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