The Bangladesh High Court has nullified the previous court's ruling concerning the grenade assault on Sheikh Hasina's rally, leading to the acquittal of all defendants. Notable among the released are Tarique Rahman and former State Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar. This ruling pertains to the notorious 2004 attack on Sheikh Hasina's gathering.
Judges Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdict, freeing all 49 accused. This highly contentious case is viewed as a pivotal shift in Bangladesh's political landscape.
On August 21, 2004, multiple grenades were hurled during a rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka, resulting in the tragic death of 24 individuals and injuring approximately 300. Notably, then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped harm in this attack.
In a prior October 2018 ruling, a Dhaka court had sentenced Lutfuzzaman Babar along with 18 others to death and issued life sentences to Tarique Rahman and 18 others. According to a pivotal testimony by the ex-chief of Bangladesh's intelligence agency DGFI, attackers were shielded under orders from high-ranking officials.
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The High Court labeled the prior verdict as 'unlawful,' emphasizing its heavy reliance on the confession from Mufti Abdul Hannan, a former Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami leader who was executed. The Court highlighted concerns about coercion involved in obtaining the confession and inadequate scrutiny by the magistrate. Legal experts now perceive this as a victory for justice.
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