The prosecution at the hearing of the August 21 grenade attack case says they have been able to prove the charges against the accused in the case beyond any doubt
“All of them were involved in the planning of the attack, executing it and destroying evidence in an attempt to safeguard the perpetrators. We have been able to prove the charges beyond any reasonable doubt,” Prosecutor Akram Uddin Shyamol said while presenting is arguments before the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal -1 on Wednesday.
The court is simultaneously hearing of two cases, one for killings and the other under the Explosives Substance Act, filed over the 2014 attack, reports BSS.
The attack on Aug 21 that year was carried out on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue during the BNP-Jamaat’s regime.
The then-leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina was the leading speaker at the rally.
She was stepping off the truck, which was being used as a dais when the assailants hurled the grenades into the rally. Investigators said 13 to 14 grenades were detonated on the day.
Among the 24 people killed in the blasts was Bangladesh Mohila Awami League president Ivy Rahman, wife of senior Awami League leader Zillur Rahman, who was later to be elected the country’s president. The attack left Sheikh Hasina with hearing problems.
Late Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif was among over 500 injured in the explosions.
On Wednesday, Special Public Prosecutor Md Abdullah Abu and Prosecutor Shyamol concluded presenting arguments on legal points.
Chief Prosecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman then started to present his part of the arguments before and Judge Shahed Nur Uddin adjourned the hearing till Sept 17.
“The key objective of the attack was to eliminate the leadership of Awami League and to consolidate the power of the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government and making their reign everlasting,” Special Public Prosecutor Abu said in court.
The total number of the defendants in the cases is 52. Of those, three including Mufti Abdul Hannan have been executed in other cases and their names have been dropped. Of the 49 accused, 18 are yet to be arrested and were tried in absentia.
Of the accused, 23 including former state minister Lutfuzzaman Babar and deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu are in jail. A total of 225 prosecution witnesses have been examined in the cases.