BNP acting chief Tarique Rahman should have been given the death penalty, says Joj Mia, who was made a ‘scapegoat’ by the investigators in the Aug 21 grenade attack case during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government.
“I hope he will get the death penalty after the prosecution appeals to the High Court,” he told Bangla Tribune on Wednesday (Oct 10).
Joj Mia who hails from Noakhali’s Senbagh, was tortured for a ‘confession’ after he was arrested in 2005 to divert the probe in another direction.
He recounted how he had been forced to memorize the confessional statement with details of the attack and shown videos of the area and the incident to make his confession valid.
He later became a witness in the case after the investigations were re-opened in 2009.
“I am satisfied with the verdict and hope it will be carried out soon,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 convicted 49 people accused in the case.
Former BNP ministers, Lutfozzaman Babar and Abdus Salam Pintu and 17 others were given the death penalty while BNP acting chief Tarique Rahman, son of the then-prime minister Khaleda Zia, has been sentenced to life in prison along with 18 others.
Among the 49 people convicted, are the first three investigators of the case, who have been found guilty of diverting the investigation by using Joj Mia.
The Aug 21, 2004, incident, one of biggest terror attacks in the history of Bangladesh, was carried out on an anti-terrorism 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 and investigations later revealed that she was the prime target.
She was stepping off the truck, which was being used as a dais when the assailants hurled the grenades into the rally, killing 24 people dead and hundreds injured.