HC clears way to resume trial

The High Court yesterday (Thursday) cleared the way for the lower court to resume trial proceedings of a case filed under the explosive and substances act over the attack on the motorcade of the then opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Satkhira in 2002.

It dismissed an appeal filed by the accused challenging the trial court order that  framed charges against them in the case in 2017.

The HC also asked the lower court concerned to frame fresh charges of another case filed under the arms act in connection with the same incident.

It passed the order after hearing another appeal of the accused against the trial court order that in the same year (2017) framed charges against them in the case filed under the arms act. The HC disposed of this appeal with some observations.

The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah came up with the verdict after concluding hearing on the appeals filed by the accused including principle accused Altaf Hossain challenging the charge framing orders of the lower court.

Assistant Attorney General Md Mizanur Rahman told The Daily Star that there is no legal bar to the special tribunal-3 of Satkhira to resume trial proceedings of the case filed under the explosive and substances act following the HC verdict.

The special tribunal has to frame fresh charges of the case filed under the arms act following the HC observations.

The HC observations will be known when the HC bench will deliver the full text of the verdict,  AAG Mizanur added.

He also said three separate cases were filed in connection with the incident of the attack on the motorcade.

The cases were filed on charge of attempting to murder Sheikh Hasina and others, and under the explosive and substances act and the arms act, AAG Mizanur added.

Lawyer AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon appeared for the accused appellants.

Earlier on October 9 this year, the same HC bench cleared the way for a lower court to resume trial proceedings of the attempt to murder case.

Another HC bench in 2017 had stayed the trial proceedings of the cases following separate appeals from the accused.

A convoy of Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, came under attack allegedly by some unruly BNP men at the order of the then lawmaker Habibul Islam Habib in Kolaroa upazila while she was visiting the district on August 30 in 2002.

The attackers fired gunshots to kill Hasina but she survived the assassination attempt while others accompanying her also sustained injuries.

Several journalists were also assaulted during the incident. according to the case statements.