After Babar, ex-Jatiyo Party leader Hafiz freed from prison after 19 years
Earlier today, ex-state minister Lutfozzaman Babar walks out of prison
After serving 19 years, former Jatiyo Party leader Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, was freed from prison yesterday following a High Court's acquittal order in a case filed under the Arms Act over the controversial 10-truck arms haul in Chattogram of 2004.
"Hafiz was released from Chattogram Central Jail around 5:30pm after a HC decision to reduce his sentence upon reviewing the relevant documents," Deputy Jailer of Chattogram Central Jail Ibrahim Raju told The Business Standard.
"KM Enamul Haque, the former general manager (Administration) of state-owned Chattogram Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL), was also released following his acquittal in the same case," he added.
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Earlier today, senior BNP leader Lutfozzaman Babar, who was also the former state minister for home affairs, was freed from prison after serving 17 years. He was released from Keraniganj Central Jail following his acquittal in all cases against him.
On 1 April 2004, law enforcement officials seized a large cache of weapons while they were being unloaded at the CUFL jetty.
They found a staggering haul that included 4,930 sophisticated firearms, 27,020 grenades, 840 rocket launchers, 300 rockets, 2,000 grenade-launching tubes, and over 1.1 million rounds of ammunition, according to various media reports at the time.
This led to the filing of four cases at the Karnaphuli police station—two under the Arms Act and two under the Special Powers Act on charges of smuggling.
On 30 January 2014, the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court delivered its verdict in two of the cases.
Fourteen individuals, including former industries minister and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Matiur Rahman Nizami (executed in another case), former state minister for home affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, Indian ULFA leader Paresh Barua, and senior officials from intelligence agencies and the CUFL, were sentenced to death in the arms smuggling case.
Additionally, the court sentenced all 14 to life imprisonment in the related Arms Act case.
The convicted individuals subsequently appealed to the High Court.
On 18 December 2023, the HC acquitted six of the accused, including Hafizur Rahman and Lutfuzzaman Babar.
On 14 January 2024, HC also overturned life imprisonment sentences for Babar and others in the Arms Act case. Hafizur's sentence was reduced to ten years, and he was released after completing his reduced sentence, accounting for time already served in custody.
