Charges against Tarique
Date to pass order deferred again
A Dhaka court yesterday again deferred the date of passing an order whether it will frame charges against BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman and 51 other accused in the August 21 grenade attack cases.
Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 fixed the next date March 18 as he could not scrutinise the discharge petitions submitted by 33 out of total 52 accused.
Earlier on February 29, the court fixed yesterday for passing an order on the same issue.
Thirty two accused, who are in jail now, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, were produced before the court yesterday.
Another accused former Dhaka City Corporation ward councillor Ariful Islam Arif, now on bail, was also present.
A total of 66 discharge petitions were submitted earlier on behalf of 33 accused in the two cases in connection with the attack- one under explosive substances act and the other for killing people.
Both the prosecution and the defence set 25 different dates to carry out the hearing on charge framing against the accused.
On October 9 last year, Syed Rezaur Rahman, chief prosecution counsel, proposed the court to frame charges against all 52 accused, alleging that they had meetings at several places, including the Hawa Bhaban, to plot the grisly blasts.
Twenty-four people were killed and around 200 others injured in the grenade attack on an AL rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004. The then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the attack.
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