Aug 17 Serial Blasts
Trial of cases in Khulna, Dinajpur yet to complete
Six years into the countrywide serial bomb blasts by banned Islamist militant organisation Jama'atul Mujahideen of Bangladesh (JMB) on August 17 in 2005, trial of the cases for the incidents in Khulna and Dinajpur is yet to be completed.
Several people received injuries as bombs were exploded at ten spots in Khulna city and Batiaghata upazila under the district, reports our staff correspondent from Khulna.
The spots are premises of the collectorate building, office of district accounts officer, Dak bungalow Jame mosque, Rupsha Government Primary School, Daulatpur Government BL University College, Government Shishu Sadan, New Market area and Latif Filling Station in Khulna city and areas beside the Shahid Minar and a residential hall of Khulna University in Batiaghata upazila of Khulna district.
Police filed four cases with Khulna Sadar police station, Daulatpur police station and Sonadanga police station in Khulna city and Batiaghata police station in Khulna district, accusing JMB chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman and his second-in-command Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai and many unidentified others on the same day.
Three cases filed in Khulna city are under trial in the Fourth Court of the Joint District Judge but the post has remained vacant for the last two years, said Public Prosecutor Kazi Abu Shahin.
Meanwhile, verdict in the case filed with Batiaghata police station was pronounced on May 31 last year.
The judge of the Divisional Speedy Trial Court awarded seven arrested accused seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and fined Tk 10,000 each, in default to suffer more six months of RI.
The convicts -- Asadul Islam Asad, Mabhubur Rahman Liton, Md Shahidullah alias Lokman, Hafez Mohamud alias Shumon, Tanvir Hossain, Ruhul Quddus alias Khalid Hasan Pintu and Saiful Islam are also Charge-sheeted accused in the three other cases for blasts in Khulna city.
Names of Shaikh Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai Siddiqul Islam were dropped from the charge sheets as their death penalty in another case was executed earlier.
Our Dinajpur Correspondent adds: The cases for August 17, 2005 serial bomb blasts by JMB men at 10 places in Dinajpur town are yet to see verdict.
After deferment of the hearing in the case for 23 times since announcement of the first hearing date on June 22 in 2008, the Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court of Dinajpur has now fixed the date on September 4.
Besides, the alleged mastermind of the serial bombing in the district Md Afzal Abedin, an ehsar (full time) member of JMB, and former president of Dinajpur unit of Islami Chhatra Sibir, is still at large.
JMB men set at least 12 bombs in the district town -- five inside Dinajpur court complex, one each in front of Dinajpur police station, Dinajpur Sadar Hospital intersection, Dinajpur Eye Hospital intersection, Dinajpur Jailmore and Central Bus Terminal, police said.
Ten of the bombs were exploded at around 11:00am on August 17 in 2005 and police later recovered two unexploded bombs, other pieces of evidence including leaflets on jihad.
A case was filed with Dinajpur police station accusing eight JMB members of the explosions and later police arrested seven JMB men in this connection.
Md Habibur Rahman, an ASP of Dinajpur, also investigation officer of the case, filed a charge sheet against eight JMB men.
The seven arrested JMB members in the case -- Aminul Islam BG 40, an ehsar member of JMB, Abu Razin Md Abdul Motin 42, Abu Raihan alias Rayhan, 32, Abdur Rashid Bin Mokbul, 30, Nazrul Islam, 28, Tofazzal Hossain Toza, 35, and Md Razu Ahmed, 27, are now in jail, police said.
But the other charge-sheeted accused, Md Afzal Abedin, also alleged mastermind of the bomb explosions, is still on the run.
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