Staff Reporter :
The Supreme Court has wrapped up hearings on the state’s appeal challenging the High Court verdict that acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar in August 21 grenade attack case.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud, representing the state, urged the court to overturn the acquittals of Tarique Rahman, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a lower court, and Lutfozzaman Babar, who was handed the death penalty.
The Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, concluded the state’s arguments and began hearing partial submissions from the defense.
The hearing will resume tomorrow (Wednesday). Senior lawyers SM Shahjahan and Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for the defense.
On December 1 last year, a High Court bench acquitted all convicts in the grenade attack case, with the full judgment released on 19 December.
The state later filed leave-to-appeal petitions. On June 1 this year, the Supreme Court granted permission to appeal, leading to the ongoing hearings.
The August 21, 2004 grenade attack targeted an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. Though party president and then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly survived, the attack killed at least 24 people and injured hundreds.
Following years of investigation and trial, in October 2018 a Dhaka court sentenced Lutfozzaman Babar to death, Tarique Rahman to life imprisonment, and handed down various other prison terms to multiple accused.
