Paper books of Aug 21 grenade attack cases reach SC
The paper books of the sensational August 21 grenade attack cases have reached the Supreme Court from the Bangladesh Government Press. Now the High Court can start the hearing on the death references and appeals of the cases.
“The paper books reached on Sunday from the BG press,” said Md Saifur Rahman, Spokesperson of the Supreme Court.
Attorney general Mahbubey Alam said that
the state counsels would refer to the case in the court for hearing. A High Court bench has already been fixed for hearing the cases, he added.
A paper book that contains all details of a case, trial proceedings, statements, evidence, orders, verdict and other relevant documents is necessary for the HC to hear and dispose of a death reference or an appeal.
If a lower court sentences any person to death in a case, its judgment is examined by the HC through hearing arguments for confirmation of the death sentence. The case documents and judgment reach as death reference to the HC from the lower court in seven days after the latter delivers the verdict.
The death references on the cases reached the HC on November 27, 2018 for examination of the trial court’s verdict.
The HC on January 13 last year accepted for hearing the forty four appeal petitions filed by the convicted accused of the August 21 grenade attack cases.
The same day, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman also stayed the part of the trial court verdict that fined the convicts.
The court also asked the trail court concerned to submit the records of the cases before the High Court. The bench passed the order as the appeals filed by the convicts, who are now in jail, were included in its cause list.
A Dhaka court on October 10, 2018, sentenced 19 persons including former State Minister and BNP leader Lutfozzaman Babar to death and 19 others including BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman life imprisonment in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case.
At least 24 people were killed and around 300 injured in the grisly attack on an Awami League rally on the capital’s Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader in Parliament, narrowly escaped the attack with an ear injury.
