Case hearing adjourned until April 7

A Dhaka court adjourned the hearing of the August 21 grenade attack case till April 7, as 14 Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) men including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan were not produced before it yesterday.
Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 passed the order after prosecution lawyers told the court about non-production of the accused. Nevertheless, the lawyers did not mention any reason behind it.
The grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League (AL) rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
In the attack, 23 people including Ivy Rahman, wife of President Zillur Rahman, were killed and a large number of people were injured.
Meanwhile, 23 prosecution witnesses had given their statements before the court and they were cross-examined by defence lawyers.
The prime accused of this case, former deputy minister and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, Mufti Hannan and 12 others, are now in jail custody.
Eight others, including Pintu's younger brother Maulana Tajuddin have been absconding since the cases were filed.
On June 11 last year, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pressed charges against Pintu, Hannan and 20 others for carrying out the grenade attacks on the rally.