4 death convicts acquitted by HC

The High Court yesterday acquitted four Islami Chhatra Shibir activists, condemned to death by a Chittagong court for killing eight people, including six Chhatra League activists, in the port city about 14 years ago.
The HC gave the verdict after hearing appeals by the four accused against the lower court judgment.
The charges brought against them were not proved, as none of the witnesses saw them spray bullets at the eight people who were killed at Bahodderhat in Chittagong in July 2000, said the HC bench of Justice Md Abdul Hye and Justice Krishna Debnath.
It didn't say anything about the other three Shibir men, who were given life term by the Chittagong court, meaning their sentences will remain in force, Deputy Attorney General Moniruzzaman Rubel told The Daily Star.
The government will appeal to the Supreme Court, challenging the HC verdict, he said.
According to the case statement, armed cadres of Shibir, student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, sprayed bullets on a microbus carrying activists of Chhatra League, pro-Awami League student body.
The six BCL activists, killed in the attack, were Hasibur Rahman Helal, Jahangir Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Sohag, Kashem, Jahangir Alam and Azizul Islam. The two other victims were microbus driver Monu Mia and auto-rickshaw driver Zahed Hossain.
The four acquitted Shibir men -- Sajjad Hossain Khan, Alamgir Kabir Manik, Azam and Md Solaiman -- are now in jail.
On March 27, 2008, Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ekramul Haq Chowdhury handed down the capital punishment and life term to the Shibir men.
The three who got life term are Habib Khan, Md Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury Rimon alias Imon, and Enamul Haq. They are on the run.