Kotalipara bomb plot: HC hearing on death reference resumes

The High Court today resumed hearing on the death reference of the sensational case filed for attempting to kill Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by planting a 76kg bomb at Kotalipara in 2000.

If a lower court sentences a person to death in a case, its judgment is examined by the HC through hearing arguments for confirmation of the death sentence. The case documents and judgment reach as death reference to the HC from the lower court within seven days of the latter delivering the verdict.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Badruzzaman began the hearing with Deputy Attorney General Dr Md Bashir Ullah reading out the trial court verdict in the case.

After concluding the day's proceedings, the bench fixed September 23 for further hearing on the case.   

The Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 in Dhaka on August 20, 2017, awarded death sentence to 10 leaders and activists of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji).

They are -- Wasim Akter alias Tarek, Rashed alias Abul Kalam, Yusuf Alias Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez Zahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Hafez Selim Howlader, Hafez Maulana Yahia, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maulana Abdur Rauf alias Abdur Razzaque.

Besides, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdur Wadud was sentenced to life and Anisul Islam alias Anis, Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman and Sarwar Hossain Mia were handed 14 years in prison.

Huji leader Mufti Hannan was found guilty but was acquitted as he was executed on April 12, 2017, at Kashimpur High-Security Prison for killing three people and injuring former British high commissioner to Bangladesh and a dozen others in Sylhet 15 years ago.

The 76kg bomb was recovered at Sheikh Lutfor Rahman Ideal College of Kotalipara in Gopalganj on July 21, 2000. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was supposed to address a rally there the next day.

The then sub-inspector Nur Hossain of Kotalipara Police Station filed the case under the Explosive Substances Act following the incident.

Of the accused, 13 are in jail while 11 are on the run. The court acquitted 10 others, as charges brought against them were not proven.