SC clears way to resume trial

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday cleared way for the Speedy Trial Tribunal of Rajshahi to run the trial proceedings of journalist Abdul Hakim Shimul murder case.

The apex court declared infructuous (ineffective) the writ petition, filed by some accused of the case with the High Court challenging the government decision to transfer the case to the speedy trial tribunal from a district court.

In the writ petition, the accused had also prayed to the High Court to order the Rajshahi court to hold trials of all four cases filed in connection with the murder.

The HC on August 29 stayed the case’s trial proceedings for six months.

Later, the government filed a leave to appeal petition with the SC’s Appellate Division, challenging the stay order.

Yesterday, writ petitioners’ lawyer Advocate AM Aminuddin told the SC that his clients will not proceed with the petition before the HC.

A four-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain also dismissed the leave to appeal petition as the petition has become ineffective.

There is no legal bar for the speedy trial tribunal to run the case’s proceedings following the SC order, Deputy Attorney General Bishwajit Debnath told The Daily Star.

Shimul, Shahzadpur correspondent of Daily Samakal, was hit when Halimul Haque Miru, suspended mayor of Shahzadpur municipality in Sirajganj, allegedly opened fire during a factional clash of Awami League on February 2, 2017.

He died the next day.

The following day, Shimul’s wife filed a murder case with Shahzadpur Police Station against Miru, his two brothers, and 15 others.