10-truck arms haul case: Hearing on death reference deferred till Jan 3

The High Court today (October 18, 2022) deferred till January 3 next year the hearing of the death reference and appeals in the sensational 10-truck arms haul case.

The bench of Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman, which was scheduled to hold hearing on the case today, passed the deferment order after the state sought time for taking preparation to place argument on the matter.

Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed represented the state during today's proceedings.

On July 20, the HC bench led by Justice Shahidul Karim fixed today (October 18) to start hearing of the death reference and appeals in the case.

A huge quantity of arms and ammunition, reportedly meant for Indian separatist organisation Ulfa, was captured at the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd jetty in Chattogram on April 2, 2004, when it was being loaded onto 10 trucks.

A smuggling case and an arms case were filed with Karnaphuli Police Station the following day.

On January 30, 2014, Chittagong Metropolitan Special Tribunal-1 handed down death penalty to 14 people, including former minister and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar of BNP, for smuggling 10 truckloads of firearms.

The 14 convicts also received life imprisonment in another case filed for possessing illegal firearms.

Twelve of the convicts filed separate appeals with the HC in 2014.

Nizami was executed on May 11, 2016, after the SC upheld his death penalty for committing crimes against humanity during the country's Liberation War.