Babar, Pintu ensure administrative support: PW
Aug 21 grenade attack
The prosecution in the August 21, 2004, grenade attack case yesterday said the then state minister for home affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar and deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu had ensured administrative support for the barbaric grenade attack. Chief prosecutor advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman said this while placing arguments for the 18th day in the case.
The chief prosecutor yesterday argued on the depositions of prosecution witness number- 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, and 84 narrating the conspiracy hatched by the accused and how they destroyed the evidences of the attack and their activities to save the attackers.
Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of Dhaka 1st speedy trial tribunal adjourned the hearing till December 12, as the prosecution failed to wrap up its arguments yesterday.
Earlier, the prosecution quoted a prosecution witness, saying the conspiracy behind the 2004 attack was hatched at Tarique Rahmans political office Hawa Bhaban and his party deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintus official residence.
The prosecution in their arguments said a total of five local and foreign militant outfits were involved in the barbaric attack, killing 24 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami League.
Harkat-ul Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), Kashmir-based separatist organisation Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Tehrik Jihad-e Islam, Lashkar-e Tyaba and Myanmar-based Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) were involved in the monstrous attack, the chief prosecutor said.
Apart from these groups, Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government orchestrated the attack. The then government used Ministry of Home Affairs, DGFI, NSI and Bangladesh Police in executing the conspiracy, he added.
A total of 24 AL leaders and workers including the then Mohila Awami League President and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, Ivy Rahman, were killed and 500 others were injured.
