2004 Sylhet Grenade Attack Case

Deposition of prosecution witnesses deferred

Dec 15 fresh date for charge-framing in bomb attack case

16 November 2009, 17:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Sylhet

Deposition of prosecution witnesses (PWs) in the case filed under Explosives Act in connection with the 2004 grenade attack on the then British High Commissioner (HC) Anwar Chowdhury and others could not be held yesterday. The court set January 15, 2010 as new date for recording the deposition as police failed to produce the prime accused, Huji chief Mufti Abdul Hannan. However, four other accused were produced before the court. Prosecution witness police constable Jibon Miah, who was among others on duty at the shrine of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA) on the day of incident, appeared before the court yesterday. Mufti Hannan could not be produced before the court as he was in the capital in connection with some other cases. Grenade attack on the premises of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA)'s shrine that took place after Juma prayers on May 21, 2004 left the then British HC and about 50 others injured. Three people were killed while Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abul Hossain who accompanied the High Commissioner, sustained minor injuries. Meanwhile, Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal yesterday again deferred the date for charge framing in the case for bomb attack on the public meeting of veteran AL leader Suranjit Sengupta five years ago. The judge set the new date on December 15 for the charge framing. Police could not produce accused Mufti Abdul Hannan before the judge as he was in the capital yesterday. However, other accused Mufti Hannan's younger brother Mofizul Islam alias Mohibullah, Shariful Alam Bipul, Delwar Hossain Ripon, Hafiz Nayeem Ahmed and Mufti Main Uddin were produced before court. Another accused Naziur Rahman Nazu is still at large. Awami League (AL) activist Abdul Wahid, 45, was killed while about 30 others were injured as bombs were hurled on the dais at the fag end of the public meeting held at Derai upazila headquarters in Sunamganj on June 21, 2004. However, Suranjit luckily escaped unhurt as he along with other leaders got down from the dais minutes before the attack.