11 govt officials get different terms of jail on AUG 21 grande attack

FT ONLINE

After a long wait for over 14 years, a speedy trial tribunal on Wednesday sentenced 19 people to death and 19 others, including BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 at Old Dhaka’s Nazimuddin Road pronounced the verdict around 12:13 pm.

Besides, 11 people were awarded different terms of jail in the sensational cases, said Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal.

Former Inspector General of Police -- Ashraful Huda and Shahudul Haque -- were given a total of four years’ imprisonment and fined Tk 50,000 in the two cases -- one for murder and another for grenade blast. If IGPs fail to pay the fine, they will have to serve another six months.

Meanwhile, Lt Commander (retd) Saiful Islam Duke, also nephew of Khaleda; Saiful Islam Joarder, former DGFI official (sacked); and Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin were given four years’ imprisonment.

Former DC (South) of DMP Khan Sayeed Hassan and former deputy commissioner (East) of DMP Obaidur Rahman Khan were also jailed for four years each.

Former IGP Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, former SP Ruhul Amin and former ASPs of CID Atiqur Rahman and Abdur Rashid were given a total of five years in prison in the cases.