HC starts hearing on death reference, pleas

The High Court has started hearing on the death reference and appeals in the case filed for assassinating Awami League lawmaker Ahsanullah Master in Tongi on May, 2004.

The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath began the hearing on January 21 and continued the proceedings yesterday for third day and fixed February 11 for its resuming, Deputy Attorney General Rona Nahrin told The Daily Star.

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DAG Nahrin said she is now reading out the paper book of the case before the HC and will continue doing so for the next few days then the HC will start hearing arguments from the defence counsels.

Led by pro-Jatiya Party Jatiya Chhatra Samaj leader Nurul Islam Dipu, gunmen shot and killed Ahsanullah, also the president of Jatiya Sramik League, and Omar Faruq Ratan, a young man, and wounded 17 others in a staccato burst of fire at a biennial conference of Awami Shechchhasebak League in Noagaon near the legislator's house in Tongi.

On April 16, 2005, a Dhaka court gave death sentences to 22 people and life terms to six others for killing Ahsanullah and also similar punishments to the same convicts for gunning down Ratan.

DAG Nahrin said the convicts, who are now behind bars, have filed appeals with the HC at different times seeking acquittal. She could not confirm how many convicted accused are now in jail.