Order issued to publish advertisement on Tarique's appearance in court in grenade attack case

DHAKA, Aug 11 (BSS)- A court here today ordered publishing an advertisement in newspapers by August 25 instructing 12 fugitives, including BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tariqur Rahman, to appear before it in connection with August 21 grenade attack case.

Metropolitan Sessions' Judge Zohirul Haque issued the order upon a petition filed by Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Syed Rezaur Rahman. The judge also asked the authorities concerned to submit the copy of the advertisement to the court by August 25.

The court had already received the reports on warrant of arrest and confiscation of wealth of the absconding accused in the case.

A Dhaka court earlier issued warrants against 12 fugitives including former Premier Khaleda Zia's eldest son Tarique Rahman and her political secretary Harris Chowdhury in connection with the explosive case in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack incident.

The gruesome grenade attack was carried out on August 21, 2004 on a rally of Awami League killing 24 people and injuring 200 others.

The attack was carried out to eliminate the total leadership of Awami League. But, the then Opposition Leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other top AL leaders narrowly escaped the attack.

Criminal Investigation Department on July 3 charged Tarique Rahman and 29 others with the attack and submitted supplementary chargesheet to the court after conducting fresh investigation into the matter.

The court issued arrest of warrants against the 18 fugitives in the murder case on the day of submission of the supplementary chargesheet. Six of the eight senior police officials, including three former inspector generals of police shown absconding in the
supplementary chargesheet, were sent to the jail on their surrender to the court.

Of the chargesheeted accused, Tarique Rahman, BNP lawmaker Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, owner of Hanif Enterprise Md Hanif, former DGFI official Saiful Islam Joarder, Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin, Huji leaders Hafez Maulana Yahia, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman and Mufti Abdul Hai, and Ratul Ahmed Babu alias Bablu, younger brother of former BNP-deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, the then deputy commissioner (east) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Obaidur Rahman and DC (south) Khan Sayed Hasan are still on the run.

Former State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Saiful Islam Duke, nephew of Khaleda Zia, former director general of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, former DG of National Security Intelligence Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, three police chiefs Ashraful Huda, Khoda Box Chowdhury and Shahidul Haque, former investigation officers of the cases and ex-CID officials-special superintendent of police Md Ruhul Amin, assistant superintendent of police Abdur Rashid, assistant superintendent of police Munshi Atiqur Rahman were produced before the court.

Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Abdul Majid Bhatt alias Yusuf Bhatt, convenor of Islamic Democratic Party Maulana Abdus Salam, Harkatul Jihad operatives Abdul Malek alias Golam Mohammad alias GM, Maulana Abdur Rouf alias Abu Omar alias Abu Hosaia alias Peer Saheb Baba, Maulana Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid accused in the supplementary charge sheets - are also in the police custody. Another accused Ariful Islam alias Arif, former commissioner of Dhaka City Corporation, is now on
bail.

On July 11, 2008 the CID indicted 22 people, including former deputy minister of the BNP Abdus Salam Pintu and Harkatul Jihad chief Mufti Abdul Hannan in the case.

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