Recording of deposition of prosecution witnesses in the case for grenade attack on British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury could not be held yesterday as none of the PWs appeared before the tribunal.
Today (December 27) is also fixed for recording deposition.
Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Diproman Sarker issued summons on nine prosecution witnesses, including a deputy secretary for recording depositions in the case on December 18 as the PWs failed to appear before the court on recent dates, court sources said.
The summons were issued on deputy secretary of the ministry of expatriates' welfare Shafique Anwar (former metropolitan magistrate of Dhaka); Baniachang Upazila Uirbahi Officer Nurey Alam Siddique (former Class I magistrate of Sylhet); police sub inspectors Abdul Awal Chowdhury; Sabiur Rahman and Shah Alam; Dr. Matiur Rahman and Dr. Mahbub Haider Chowdhury; CID's former ASP Munshi Atiqur Rahman (now on LPR) and Abul Kalam Azad of Dhaka.
Two PWs submitted depositi9on on that day. They are Assistant Registrar of Osmani Medical College Hospital Dr. Quamrul Alam and the then officer-in-charge of Sylhet Kotwali police station Inspector SA Newaji (now OC Munshiganj Sadar thana).
With them, deposition of 46 PWs out of 57 were recorded in the case.
Special Public Prosecutor of Speedy Trial Tribunal Fokhoruddin Ahmed told The Daily Star yesterday that the trial is being delayed for reasons.
Even on repeated summons from court, a number of prosecution witnesses did not turn up. The court was compelled to issue warrant of arrest against the 9 PWs, he said.
On November 22 also, the judge issued summons on 13 PWs, he added.
On the other hand, the summon sent to PW Abul Kalam Azad was returned to the court by postal department due to fictitious address, he added.
Besides, the charge sheet given by CID also contains a number of flaws, including incomplete and incorrect addresses of the witnesses and others.
The Bangladesh-born British High Commissioner and 70 others were hurt in the grenade attack that killed three persons after the Juma prayers on May 21, 2004 on the premises of the shrine of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet.
Meanwhile, trial of the other case (explosives case), is going on in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ferdous Ahmed.