Order on withdrawal of case Aug 22

After the hearing, Judge Mohammad Aman Ullhah of the Fifth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, fixed August 22 for order on the issue filed by the government on July 17.

Meantime, the same court granted bail to Goyeshwar and a BNP leader Abu Syed Khan Khokon upon a bond of Tk 1 lakh with two guarantors when they surrendered to the court after seven years of the case transferred for its quick disposal.

According to the prosecution, a group of BNP and Jubo Dal leaders led by Goyeshwar and Mirza Khokon hurled indiscriminate bombs on the on- duty policemen at the BNP's central office at Nayapaltan about 5:30pm on December 24, 1996 when the policemen tried to rescue a man from their custody.

Later, a case was filed against Goyeshwar, Mirza Khokon and 11 others under the Explosive Substances Act. The investigation officer pressed charges against them on December 30, 1999.

The home ministry in a letter on June 19 this year informed the district magistrate of Dhaka that it had decided to withdraw charges against Goyeshwar and six others as the charges were "politically motivated".

The ministry asked the district magistrate to hand over the matter to the metropolitan public prosecutor (PP), who will arrange withdrawal of the case with the permission from an appropriate court.