Charge-framing hearing now September 17

A Dhaka court yesterday re-fixed September 17 for hearing on charge framing against 22 accused including Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abul Hannan and detained former BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case.
The case was filed for the grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) rally on August 21, 2004 on Bangabandhu Avenue that left 23 people dead and around 200 others injured.
Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 adjourned the hearing following petitions submitted by the lawyers of the accused Pintu and Abu Sayeed alias Dr Zafar.
The lawyers of accused Moulana Abu Taher and Uzzal Hossain Ratan submitted discharge petitions.
Meantime, jail authorities submitted a medical report saying that Ratan was physically well.
On August 31, Judge KM Rasheduzzaman Raja of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court asked the jail authorities to submit a report about Ratan's physical condition as his behaviour seemed 'unsound' in the courtroom during the trial proceedings of the case.
The court also fixed the next date for hearing on all the petitions.
Pintu's lawyers told the court that time would be saved and trial be smooth if the two cases - one for murder and the other under the Explosive Substance Act-- were tried together. The prosecution did not oppose the defence lawyers' plea for trial of the cases together.
The murder case was earlier transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal for quick disposal while the case filed for blasting grenades was yet to reach the tribunal.
Of the accused, Pintu, Mufti Hannan, his brother Mohibullah alias Mafizur Rahman alias Ovi and 11 others were earlier arrested and they are now in the jail custody. They were brought from different jails before the court yesterday.
Pintu's brother Maulana Tajuddin, Maulana Liton, and Anisul Mursalin, Mahibul Muttakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman have been absconding since the cases were filed.
Eight of the arrestees -- Hannan, Bipul, Ovi, Abu Sayeed, Bulbul, Arif Hossain, Jahangir and Sabuj -- gave statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code confessing their involvement in the incident.
On June 11 this year, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Assistant Superintendent Fazlul Kabir, also investigation officer (IO) of the cases submitted the charge sheets to the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka, showing 412 people as prosecution witnesses.