Batamul Carnage

Trial begins in new court Sept 19

31 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Court Correspondent

Trial of one of the Ramna Batamul carnage cases will begin in a new court in the city on September 19. After receipt of the case, Judge Fozila Begum of the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court yesterday fixed September 19, a fresh date, to start the trial. The court also directed the jail authorities to produce five accused, including Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, now in jail, before it on the scheduled date. Maulana Akbar Hussain, now on a High Court bail, was also asked to appear before it while eight others including Maulana Tajuddin, brother of detained BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, have been absconding since the case was filed. Judge (in charge) Mohammad Ismail Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court transferred the case to the court of Judge Fozila Begum on May 26 as a speedy trial tribunal having failed to try within the stipulated 135 working days. Judge Kaniz Akter Nasrina Khanam of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 returned the case to Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court on May 24 to dispose of the trial. The case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 on August 18, 2009 for its quick disposal. So far it has recorded depositions of 50 witnesses, out of 84. The tribunal, however, could not complete the trial in due time as most of the witnesses, including investigation officers, did not appear before it with their statements within the given timeframe. The case was then transferred to the previous court to complete the trial, the tribunal said. The other case filed under the Explosive Substances Act is now pending with another Dhaka court. Ten people were killed and scores injured in the blast at Ramna Batamul during Pahela Baishakh celebration on April 14, 2001.