5 prosecution witnesses give depositions
A Dhaka court yesterday recorded the statements of five more prosecution witnesses in connection with the August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases.
Judge Mohammad Masdar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 recorded the statements of Apurba Chandra Saha, Dilip Ghosh, Mohiuddin Babul, Sujan Bhowmik and Faruk Ahmed.
Later, they were cross-examined by defence lawyers.
The court then fixed May 14 for the next hearing and summoned several witnesses to appear before it.
In their statements, the witnesses told the court that they were present at the rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004 where Awami League (AL) Chief Sheikh Hasina was delivering a speech to the crowds on the crisis prevailing in the country.
Several grenades exploded just as Hasina was about to end her speech at about 5:40pm, the witnesses said. Later they came to know from newspapers that Hasina had been the target of the attack, the witnesses said.
With yesterday's deposition, a total of 50 witnesses have now given their statements before the court and cross-examined by defence lawyers.
The prime accused in the case, former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and 12 others, now in jail, were produced before the court yesterday.
Eight others, including Pintu's brother Maulana Tajuddin, have been absconding since the cases were filed.
Twenty-three people were killed and several others injured in the attack in 2004.
On June 11 last year, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pressed charges against Pintu, Hannan and 20 others for carrying out the grenade attacks on the rally.
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