2002 Attack on Hasina: Ex-BNP MP given 10 years in jail
Fifty people, including a former BNP lawmaker, were jailed for different terms in a case filed over the attack on Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina's motorcade in Kolaroa in 2002.
Ex- MP Habibul Islam Habib, who was elected from Satkhira-1 (Tala-Kalaroa) in the 2001 general elections, and two other convicts -- Arifur Rahman and Ripon -- were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment each. Abdul Quader Bacchu, a former ward councillor, will have to serve nine years in jail while one Abdur Razzak will have to stay behind bars for six years.
Among the other convicts, 13 were sentenced to four-and-a-half-years' imprisonment while 32 were handed four years in jail.
Satkhira Chief Judicial Magistrate Md Humayun Kabir delivered the verdict around 10:00am yesterday amid tight security on the court premises.
Thirty-four of the convicts were present in the courtroom. The others were on the run.
The imprisonment tenure of the fugitives will start the day they surrender or are arrested, according to the verdict.
After the delivery of the verdict, the plaintiff, ailing freedom fighter Moslemuddin, expressed happiness, saying, "Truth has emerged victorious."
Welcoming the judgement, leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League brought out a procession and distributed sweets among locals in Satkhira.
On the other hand, BNP men expressed dissatisfaction and brought out a procession in protest of the verdict.
AL lawmaker in the district and former health minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque said, "This verdict is a significant milestone in history. It has proved that those who commit crimes are never spared."
Nazrul Islam, general secretary of Satkhira district AL, said, "We are happy that the criminals, who committed the crimes 19 years ago, have finally been handed punishment."
On the other hand, convict Habib's wife Shahanara Akhter Bokul said, "Justice has not been seen in the verdict. We will challenge the verdict at the High Court."
Syed Iftekhar Ali, BNP chief in Satkhira, said, "We are not happy with the verdict. Will hope to get justice from the High Court."
On August 30, 2002, then opposition leader Hasina, now the prime minister, visited the house of a freedom fighter, after his wife was allegedly raped, in Hizaldi village of Kolaroa upazila.
While she was returning to Jashore, BNP men kept a bus haphazardly on a road near the office of Kolaroa upazila BNP. As Hasina's motorcade reached the area, BNP men launched an attack on it, according to the case statement.
At least 12 people, including AL leaders and journalists, were injured in the attack, said Satkhira court inspector Amol Kumar Roy.
On September 2 of that year, Kolaroa unit freedom fighters' commander Moslemuddin filed the case against 27 named and 70 to 75 unnamed accused. The accused included several BNP leaders and activists in Satkhira.
After around 12 years of the incident, the case was recorded following a High Court directive.
Later, the case's investigation officer, police Inspector Shafiqur Rahman pressed charges against 50 accused.
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