Victims' families still wait for justice

The families of the 22 Bangladeshi and foreign victims, who lost their lives in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka on July 1, 2016, are still waiting to see justice, thanks to the lengthy legal procedure.

The High Court is now hearing the case for disposal.

It started hearing the death reference for examining the trial court documents and appeals of the case in May this year for examining the lower court judgement that sentenced seven militants to death.

The HC is expected to finish the hearing within the next few months and deliver a judgement.

According to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), death penalties ordered by the lower court must be examined by the HC before the punishment is confirmed.

Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed told The Daily Star on June 22 that the lawyers for the convicts had read out from the paper book of the case before the HC bench of Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman during the hearing.

A paper book contains all details of a case.

The defendants' lawyers will place their argument before the bench when it resumes the hearing. The prosecutors present their argument next.

The HC bench will resume hearing of the case when one of the judges returns from hajj after July 20.

Ariful Islam, a lawyer for the convicts, told this correspondent that the HC might deliver a verdict in the Holey Artisan Bakery attack case in a few months.

On July 1, 2016, five militants with firearms, machetes, and grenades stormed the upscale eatery in the diplomatic zone in Gulshan and held the diners hostage before killing three Bangladeshis, seven Japanese, nine Italians, and one Indian.

The militants were killed during a rescue operation by army commandos. Two police officials and a chef of the café were also killed during the 12-hour standoff. An injured employee of the restaurant died later.

On November 27, 2019, the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal in Dhaka convicted and sentenced seven militants to death for their involvement in the attack, terming it a disgraceful attack aimed at assassinating the non-communal character of Bangladesh.

The convicts are Jahangir Hossain, Aslam Hossain Rash, Hadisur Rahman, Rakibul Hasan Regan, Md Abdus Sabur Khan, Shariful Islam Khaled, and Mamunur Rashid Ripon.

The tribunal also acquitted one accused as it found him not guilty.

The convicts then filed separate appeals with the HC challenging the tribunal verdict.