Attempted Attack on Hasina: HC upholds death penalties of 10 Huji men

A High Court verdict yesterday said if perpetrators were successful in implementing their plan to blast two powerful bombs, weighing 76kg and 40kg respectively, in Gopalganj's Kotalipara in July 2000, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was supposed to address a rally there, the incident would be similar to the August 15 massacre.

The HC said the 76kg bomb was recovered on July 21, 2000, and two days later, the 40kg bomb was recovered at Sheikh Lutfor Rahman Ideal College in Kotalipara, where Awami League President and the then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina was supposed to address the rally on July 22, 2000.

If the 76kg bomb blast, all human beings, including daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, and everything else in the one square kilometer area, would have completely been damaged and an awful situation would be created, the HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Badruzzaman observed, citing a report from the army team, who tested the bombs.

The bench was delivering verdict on the death reference (lower court documents) and appeals in connection with the case for attempting to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The militant offenders had planned to kill Sheikh Hasina in order to hamper the democracy and development of the country, the HC judges said, adding that the militant activities must be banned.   

The court also said the offenders cannot get any clemency for their offences.

With the observations, the HC yesterday confirmed the death penalty of 10 leaders and activists of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji) for attempting to kill the prime minister by planting a 76kg bomb at Kotalipara in 2000.

The HC upheld the life imprisonment of one convict and 14 years' imprisonment of two convicts. It also acquitted one convict in the case.

The convicts, whose death sentences were confirmed by the HC yesterday, are: Wasim Akter alias Tarek, Rashed alias Abul Kalam, Yusuf Alias Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Zahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Hafez Selim Howlader, Hafez Maulana Yahia, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maulana Abdur Rauf alias Abdur Razzaque.

The HC upheld the life term imprisonment of Mehedi Hasan alias Abdur Wadud. It upheld the lower court verdict that sentenced Anisul Islam alias Anis and Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman to 14 years' imprisonment.

It, however, ordered the authorities concerned to release Mohibullah if he is not arrested in any other case as he has already served 14 years in jail.

The HC bench acquitted Sarwar Hossain Mia as the state has failed to prove the allegations against him.

The full text of the verdict was not yet released.

Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah told The Daily Star that, among the 10 death-row convicts, Yusuf Alias Moshab Morol, Hafez Zahangir Alam Badar, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Mufti Abdul Hye are absconding.

He said death penalty of six other death-row convicts, who are now in condemned cells, can be executed if they don't file any appeal with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court challenging the HC verdict.

They may file appeal in 30 days after receiving certified copy of the HC verdict, DAG Bashir Ullah added.   

The Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 in Dhaka on August 20, 2017, awarded death sentences to 10 Huji leaders and activists for attempting to kill Sheikh Hasina by planting the 76kg bomb.

Besides, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdur Wadud was sentenced to life and Anisul Islam alias Anis, Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman and Sarwar Hossain Mia were handed 14 years in prison.

Huji leader Mufti Abdul Hannan was found guilty but was acquitted as he was executed on April 12, 2017, at Kashimpur High-Security Prison for killing three people and injuring former British high commissioner to Bangladesh and a dozen others in Sylhet.