Little progress in trial in 16 years
Although 16 years have elapsed, there has been a little progress in the trial proceedings of a case filed over the bomb attack on Awami League leader Sheikh Helal's election rally in Bagerhat's Mollahat upazila which killed nine people in 2001.
Public Prosecutor Sheikh Mohammad Ali said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted a charge sheet against four people with a recommendation for exempting 176 people from the case which drew huge criticisms.
The complainant filed a petition seeking re-investigation into the bomb attack case, he said.
During a recent visit to different villages in Mollahat upazila, this correspondent found that the victims' families have become frustrated over the slow progress in the case.
On September 23, 2001, nine people were killed and 50 others injured in the bomb attack on election rally of Helal on Mollahat Khalilur Rahman College ground. Two cases were filed against 169 people in this connection.
The CID submitted the final report to the court on December 7, 2003.
In 2009, the home ministry took steps for reinvestigation. On August 13, 2013, the then investigation officer of CID submitted two charge sheets against six people. They also recommended exempting 176 people from the case.
Of the six people, two died during the trial proceedings. The four charge-sheeted accused are banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al- Islami (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, local BNP leader Shikdar Badshah Miah, Zillur Rahman alias Zilu Mollah and Anisuzzaman alias Anis.
Of them, Mufti Hannan was executed on April 12 this year in a case filed over the grenade attack on the then UK Ambassador Anwar Choudhury at Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet in 2004 while Badshah Mia died due to old age complications in 2015.
In January, 2014, the Session's Judge Court asked the CID to conduct further investigation. Following the court order, the CID submitted supplementary charge sheet against four people in October, 2014.
Public Prosecutor Ali said hearing on the charge-framing against the four accused would take place on October 9.
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