Acquittal of 11 in Ahsanullah Master killing case

Govt seeks stay against HC order

The government yesterday filed separate petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court verdict that had acquitted 11 persons, who were convicted by the trial court in a case over the murder of Gazipur Awami League MP Ahsanullah Master over a decade ago.
The attorney general office submitted separate appeal petitions with the related branch of the apex court for staying the operation of the HC order. The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division is likely to hear the petitions today.
After filing the petitions, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters that they have filed provisional petitions against the HC order acquitting 11 persons in Ahsanullah Master killing case.  “A number of witnesses’ statements and sufficient documents have been submitted before the trial court against them during the trial proceedings. The HC should have not acquitted them of the charges. Hence, the provisional petitions have been filed against them,” he added.
In a verdict, on June 15 the HC had upheld the death sentences of six persons, who were earlier convicted by a trial court for their involvement in the murder of Awami League (AL) leader Ahsanullah Master in 2004. The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath also sentenced nine convicts to life imprisonment and acquitted 11 others in the case.
Ahsanullah, a popular Gazipur politician and also the then president of Jatiya Sramik League, and a young man, Omar Faruq Ratan, were gunned down at a biennial conference of Awami Shechchhasebak League at Noagaon in Tongi in May 2004. As many as 17 others were injured in the firing.
Ahsanullah’s younger brother, Matiur Rahman, had filed a murder case at Tongi police station a day after the shooting.
On April 16, 2005, a speedy trial tribunal had handed down the death penalty to 22 people, including Nurul Islam Sarkar. The tribunal had also sentenced six others to life term for the high-profile murder. Of the accused, 17 are behind bars at present. Two have died, while nine others are absconding.
The HC bench, however, acquitted 11 persons for lack of evidence of their involvement in the crime. Of the 11, seven were sentenced to death and four were sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court earlier.

Acquittal of 11 in Ahsanullah Master killing case

Govt seeks stay against HC order

The government yesterday filed separate petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court verdict that had acquitted 11 persons, who were convicted by the trial court in a case over the murder of Gazipur Awami League MP Ahsanullah Master over a decade ago. The attorney general office submitted separate appeal petitions with the related branch of the apex court for staying the operation of the HC order. The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division is likely to hear the petitions today. After filing the petitions, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters that they have filed provisional petitions against the HC order acquitting 11 persons in Ahsanullah Master killing case. A number of witnesses statements and sufficient documents have been submitted before the trial court against them during the trial proceedings. The HC should have not acquitted them of the charges. Hence, the provisional petitions have been filed against them, he added. In a verdict, on June 15 the HC had upheld the death sentences of six persons, who were earlier convicted by a trial court for their involvement in the murder of Awami League (AL) leader Ahsanullah Master in 2004. The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath also sentenced nine convicts to life imprisonment and acquitted 11 others in the case. Ahsanullah, a popular Gazipur politician and also the then president of Jatiya Sramik League, and a young man, Omar Faruq Ratan, were gunned down at a biennial conference of Awami Shechchhasebak League at Noagaon in Tongi in May 2004. As many as 17 others were injured in the firing. Ahsanullahs younger brother, Matiur Rahman, had filed a murder case at Tongi police station a day after the shooting. On April 16, 2005, a speedy trial tribunal had handed down the death penalty to 22 people, including Nurul Islam Sarkar. The tribunal had also sentenced six others to life term for the high-profile murder. Of the accused, 17 are behind bars at present. Two have died, while nine others are absconding. The HC bench, however, acquitted 11 persons for lack of evidence of their involvement in the crime. Of the 11, seven were sentenced to death and four were sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court earlier.