Dhaka, July 17 (V7N) – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court held a hearing on Thursday (July 17) regarding the state’s appeal against the acquittal of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and other accused in the August 21 grenade attack case. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until July 24 by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed.

At the start of the hearing, the Chief Justice expressed surprise over the absence of legal representation for two absconding accused, Hanif and Tajuddin. Following this, the court appointed state defense lawyers to represent them. The state’s legal team then proceeded to present their arguments.

The case stems from the 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka, which resulted in the deaths of 24 people, including Awami League women's affairs secretary Ivy Rahman, and injuries to approximately 300 others. The then-opposition leader and current Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, narrowly escaped the attack.

In 2018, the trial court sentenced 19 people to death, including former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar and former Deputy Minister Abdus Salam Pintu. Additionally, 19 accused, including Tarique Rahman, received life imprisonment, while 11 others were given various jail terms.

However, on December 1, 2023, the High Court overturned the convictions and acquitted all the accused, including Tarique Rahman. The state filed a leave to appeal against this verdict on March 19, 2024. Though the appeal was accepted, the Appellate Division did not stay the High Court’s acquittal order.

The ongoing hearing in the Appellate Division seeks to review and potentially overturn the High Court’s acquittal, a development closely watched by political observers and victims’ families alike.

END/RH/AJ