Attempted assassination of Sheikh Hasina: Appeal verdict announced today

News Desk: The hearing on the death reference and appeal in the case of attempted assassination of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by planting a bomb in Kotalipara of Gopalganj has ended. The High Court has fixed Wednesday (February 18) for announcing the verdict.

On February 1, the High Court Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice. After presenting the arguments of the state and the accused in the dual bench comprising Badruzzaman, the court fixed the date of pronouncement of the verdict.

In an argument on Monday, the prosecution sought the reinstatement of nine convicts sentenced to death in the 2000 assassination attempt on the then Leader of the Opposition, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at Kotalipara in Gopalganj. According to case sources, on August 20, 2016, Judge Mumtaz Begum of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 sentenced 10 militants to death in a case of attempted assassination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Besides, four accused were sentenced to different terms. All the documents including the verdict of the case were sent to the High Court on August 24 of that year. When the documents were then presented to the Chief Justice, he directed that a paperbook be prepared on an urgent basis.

The case is scheduled for hearing. The convicts are: Wasim Akhtar, Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Yusuf alias Abu Musa Harun, Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badr, Maulana Abu Bakkar, Hafez Maulana Yahya, Mufti Abdul Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abu Omar.

Besides, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000. Anisul alias Anis, Md. Mahibullah alias Mofizur Rahman and Sarwar Hossain Mia were sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment and one more year for non-payment of a fine of Tk 10,000.

It may be mentioned that on July 20, 2000, a bomb weighing 6 kg was planted near the meeting place of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in Gopalganj. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a tea shop on the north side of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman College.

The then Sub-Inspector (SI) of Kotalipara Police Station Nur Hossain filed a case in this regard. On April 6, 2001, charges were filed against 17 people. Subsequently, on June 29, 2009, nine more persons were included as accused and supplementary chargesheets were filed. Then in 2010 the case was sent to Dhaka-2 Speedy Trial Tribunal for disposal. The trial of this case was completed there.