Deposition deferred for absence of witnesses

The Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Sylhet yesterday deferred deposition of witnesses in the case filed over the sensational five-day anti-militant drive at Sylhet's Atia Mahal in 2017.

As no witness was present before the court, the tribunal could not proceed with the case's witness recording, and the judge, Muhammad Nurul Amin Biplob, deferred the date, said Khokon Chandra Sarkar, assistant commissioner (prosecution) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police. However, the new date for witness deposition is yet to be confirmed by the tribunal, he said.

On the early night of March 24, 2017, police cordoned a building named Atia Mahal at Dakshin Surma upazila's Shibbari area on information about militancy activity.

From March 25, Bangladesh Army conducted the drive, codenamed "Operation Twilight", till March 28. Four militant suspects died at the house during the drive.

In the evening of March 25, 2017, while the drive was ongoing, two grenades were blasted around 400 metres away from Atia Mahal, which claimed seven lives, including Rab intelligence chief Lt Col Abul Kalam Azad and two police officers.

Police on April 4 filed two separate cases, one regarding the militant hideout and another for the twin grenade blasts, with Moglabazar Police Station, accusing unnamed people after the operation.

Following an order of Police Headquarters on May 2 that year, Police Bureau of Investigation took over the cases from the police station and started investigation from May 9.

Dewan Abul Hossain, inspector of PBI in Sylhet and investigation officer of the case, submitted a charge sheet in the case on September 6, 2019.

In the charge-sheet, Jahurul Haque alias Jashim Uddin, Md Hasan and Jahurul's wife Arjina alias Rajia were indicted, while five others, who died during the anti-militant drives in Sylhet and Moulvibazar, were asked to be acquitted.

The trio was arrested in connection with several other militancy cases and later shown arrested in this case on January 17, 2019.

The Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Sylhet on May 10 last year formed charges against the trio, who are reportedly active members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, referred to as Neo-JMB.