Court sends two convicts to jail

A tribunal in Dhaka yesterday sent two convicts to jail after they surrendered before it in the August 21 grenade attack case.

Khan Sayeed Hasan, former deputy commissioner (south) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and Obaidur Rahman Khan, former deputy commissioner (east) of DMP, were on the run since the incident took place 15 years ago.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 rejected the pleas and sent them to jail after Advocate M Nazrul Islam moved bail petitions on grounds that his clients will file an appeal with the higher court challenging the sentence and conviction of the lower court.

On October 10 last year, the same tribunal sentenced the duo to four years of imprisonment for their involvement in destroying evidence and providing administrative support to the attackers in carrying out the blasts. 

The court also sentenced 19 persons to death and 19 others to life imprisonment in the case.

At least 24 people were killed and around 300 injured in the grisly attack on an Awami League rally on the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.