“Execution either by hanging or by a firing squad as per the HC order”

10 to die for plot to kill Hasina

Verdict comes 17yrs after the bid to kill then PM at Kotalipara

A Dhaka court yesterday handed down the death penalty to 10 men accused of attempting to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara, Gopalganj, in 2000. The Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 judge Mamtaj Begum delivered the verdict, saying “the convicts would be executed by a firing squad”. The death row convicts are Wasim Akhter, Md Yousuf, Md Rashed Driver, Sheikh Forid, Hafez Tarequl Alam Bodor, Maulana Abu Bakkar, Mufti Shofiqur Rahman, Maulana Yahya, Mufti Abdul Hye and Mannan Abdul Rouf.

“The convicted can be executed either by hanging or by a firing squad as per the order of the High Court,” the tribunal verdict said.

It also sentenced one to life imprisonment and three others to 14 years in jail in the attempted assassination case.

The tribunal also fined them Tk 10,000 each. Failure of pay up would mean spending an extra year in prison, said the tribunal order.

However, the tribunal acquitted 10 others, as the charge against them could not be proved.

Talking to reporters, prosecutor Khandaker Abdul Mannan said the prosecution was satisfied with part of the verdict, as it handed down the capital punishment to ten people in the case.

“We will take a decision about filing of appeal against the tribunal verdict (concerning acquittals and life terms) after getting the full copy of it,” Mannan said.

The tribunal also sentenced nine people to 20 years’ imprisonment in another case filed under the Explosives Act in connection with the same incident. It also fined them Tk20,000 each.

Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh chief Mufti Abdul Hannan was also an accused in the case. But he was hanged on April 12 in connection with a grenade attack on former British envoy Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet. Hence, Hannan was later excluded from the case, prosecution lawyers said.

A total of 64 out of 89 prosecution witnesses testified before the court in the case.

According to the case documents, on July 22, 2000, the Bangladesh Army recovered a 76kg bomb from the Sheikh Lutfor Rahman Ideal College in the Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj, planted with the aim of killing the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina was supposed to address a rally there the next day.

On July 23, another bomb, weighing 40kg, was recovered from the same spot.

Kotalipara police then filed an attempt-to-murder case and a case under the Explosives Act after the incident.

On April 8, 2001, Crime Investigation Department assistant superintendent of police Munshi Atiqur Rahman submitted a charge-sheet against 10 people including Mufti Abdul Hannan in connection with the attempt-to-murder case.

On the same day, the Kotalipara police submitted a charge-sheet against 16 people in connection with the case under the Explosive Substances Act.

A supplementary charge-sheet was submitted on June 29, 2009, after the Awami League came to power again, in which nine more people were accused in the attempt-to-murder case.

A Gopalganj court recorded the depositions of 43 witnesses out of a total of 89, but the case was transferred to the speedy trial tribunal in Dhaka in September 2010 to hasten the trial proceedings.

The speedy tribunal started recording depositions again and, finally, delivered the verdict yesterday.

 

“Execution either by hanging or by a firing squad as per the HC order”

10 to die for plot to kill Hasina

Verdict comes 17yrs after the bid to kill then PM at Kotalipara

A Dhaka court yesterday handed down the death penalty to 10 men accused of attempting to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara, Gopalganj, in 2000. The Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 judge Mamtaj Begum delivered the verdict, saying the convicts would be executed by a firing squad. The death row convicts are Wasim Akhter, Md Yousuf, Md Rashed Driver, Sheikh Forid, Hafez Tarequl Alam Bodor, Maulana Abu Bakkar, Mufti Shofiqur Rahman, Maulana Yahya, Mufti Abdul Hye and Mannan Abdul Rouf. The convicted can be executed either by hanging or by a firing squad as per the order of the High Court, the tribunal verdict said. It also sentenced one to life imprisonment and three others to 14 years in jail in the attempted assassination case. The tribunal also fined them Tk 10,000 each. Failure of pay up would mean spending an extra year in prison, said the tribunal order. However, the tribunal acquitted 10 others, as the charge against them could not be proved. Talking to reporters, prosecutor Khandaker Abdul Mannan said the prosecution was satisfied with part of the verdict, as it handed down the capital punishment to ten people in the case. We will take a decision about filing of appeal against the tribunal verdict (concerning acquittals and life terms) after getting the full copy of it, Mannan said. The tribunal also sentenced nine people to 20 years imprisonment in another case filed under the Explosives Act in connection with the same incident. It also fined them Tk20,000 each. Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh chief Mufti Abdul Hannan was also an accused in the case. But he was hanged on April 12 in connection with a grenade attack on former British envoy Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet. Hence, Hannan was later excluded from the case, prosecution lawyers said. A total of 64 out of 89 prosecution witnesses testified before the court in the case. According to the case documents, on July 22, 2000, the Bangladesh Army recovered a 76kg bomb from the Sheikh Lutfor Rahman Ideal College in the Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj, planted with the aim of killing the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina was supposed to address a rally there the next day. On July 23, another bomb, weighing 40kg, was recovered from the same spot. Kotalipara police then filed an attempt-to-murder case and a case under the Explosives Act after the incident. On April 8, 2001, Crime Investigation Department assistant superintendent of police Munshi Atiqur Rahman submitted a charge-sheet against 10 people including Mufti Abdul Hannan in connection with the attempt-to-murder case. On the same day, the Kotalipara police submitted a charge-sheet against 16 people in connection with the case under the Explosive Substances Act. A supplementary charge-sheet was submitted on June 29, 2009, after the Awami League came to power again, in which nine more people were accused in the attempt-to-murder case. A Gopalganj court recorded the depositions of 43 witnesses out of a total of 89, but the case was transferred to the speedy trial tribunal in Dhaka in September 2010 to hasten the trial proceedings. The speedy tribunal started recording depositions again and, finally, delivered the verdict yesterday.