A Dhaka court yesterday adjourned the hearing of the August 21, 2004 attack cases until February 12 following time petitions by the prosecution lawyers.
Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain passed the order after the prosecution lawyers submitted petitions saying, witnesses who were earlier summoned, could not appear before the court yesterday.
Earlier on January 27, the court completed recording statement of the complainant Sub-Inspector (SI) Sharif Faruque Ahmed. The court then summoned witnesses --Major (rtd) Tareq Ahmed Siddiq and Shoib Ahmed Tariqullah, Maksud Ali, Tutul and Golam Mostafa -- to appear before the court to give their statements.
SI Suvas Chandra Sarkar of Khilgaon Police Station yesterday submitted a report to the court saying that witness Maksud Ali is in abroad while Tutul himself received the court summon. But the court adjourned the hearing of the cases twice due to non-appearance of the witnesses.
The court yesterday again summoned Tutul and Golam Mostafa to appear before it on the scheduled date.
The 22 accused of launching grenade attacks on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue include detained former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, Harkatul Jihad chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Huji members Abu Sayeed, Shahdatullah Jewel, Rafiqul Islam alias Rafiq, Abu Taher and Maulana Tajuddin.
Fourteen of the accused including Pintu and Hannan, now in jail, were produced before the court during yesterday's hearing.
Eight others, including Pintu's younger brother Maulana Tajuddin, have been absconding since the cases were filed.
Senior Assistant Superintendent of Criminal Investigation Department Fazlul Kabir, also the investigation officer of the cases, submitted two charge sheets in connection with the cases to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on June 11 last year showing 412 people as prosecution witnesses.
Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman, Shah Alam Talukder and Najibullah Hiru appeared for the state.