Dispose of Hasina’s motorcade attack case in three months: HC
The then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina’s motorcade was attacked at Kalaroa in Satkhira in 2002
The High Court (HC) Thursday told a trial court to dispose of the case filed over the attack on the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina's motorcade in 2002 in Satkhira within three months.
The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain delivered the verdict after lifting a stay order on the trial proceedings in the case, and discharged the rule issued more than three years back questioning the proceedings.
Three separate cases were filed over the attack on Sheikh Hasina's motorcade on August 30, 2002. Of the cases, an accused named Rakib of the attempt-to-murder case appealed at the HC in 2017 seeking dismissal of the case.
In the appeal, Rakib said he was ten years old when the attack took place.
Responding to the appeal, the HC on August 23, 2017, stayed the case proceedings. Besides, the court also issued a ruling over dismissing the case.
Since then the case was lifted, and Additional Attorney General SM Munir recently stepped in for the rule hearing. On September 24, the HC began the hearing of the rule and the court gave the order Thursday after several hearings.
In the court, lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon moved for accused Rakib while Additional Attorney General SM Munir and Assistant Attorney General Md Mizanur Rahman represented the state.
Sheikh Hasina's motorcade came under attack in front of the BNP party office in Satkhira's Kalaroa area on August 30, 2002. A number of people including former parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman were injured in the attack.
Kalaroa upazila freedom fighter Moslem Uddin filed a case that day. Police submitted charge-sheets against 50 including Rakib in 2015. Police in the charge statement said the attack was carried out to assassinate Sheikh Hasina.