Trial over bomb attack on CPB rally still on after 15 years

Trial in the cases relating to bomb attack on a rally of Communist Party of Bangladesh at Paltan Maidan, has not yet been completed even after passing of long 15 years.
The bomb attacks were carried out on January 20, 2001, in which five persons were killed and many others injured.
Two separate cases – one for murder and another under explosive substances act – were filed to this end.
Criminal investigation department in November, 2013 submitted charge sheets accusing 13 operatives of the banned Islamist militant organisation Harkartul Jihad Al Islami Bangladesh in the cases. The charge sheeted accused in the cases are HuJIB leaders Mufti Abdul Hannan, Mufti Mainuddin Shaikh, Arif Hasan Suman, Maulana Sabbir Ahmed, Shawkat Osman, Moshiur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Shafiqur Rahman, Nur Islam, Jahangir Alam Badar, Mohibul Muttakin, Anisul Mursalin and Rafiqul Islam Miraj. Five of the accused are now in jail while eight others went into hiding.
Trial in the cases started with giving deposition before the court in 2014. Only 16 prosecution witnesses gave deposition in the murder case while 12 prosecution witnesses gave deposition in explosive cases. A total of 107 people were made prosecution witnesses.
Investigation into the cases turned towards a wrong direction during the BNP-Jamaat government and a final report was submitted before the court accusing 12 innocent people in 2003.
Fresh investigation into the matter started in 2005 as the BNP-Jamaat alliance government was trying to save the real culprits with submission of the final report.
Prosecution side said the trial in the cases is taking time as prosecution witnesses do not turn up before the court to give depositions even after serving of notices several times on them.
Another cause of delay in the trial process is that some charge-sheeted accused in the cases are also accused in August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases and the killing case of former finance minister and Awami League leader Shah AMS Kibria, the prosecution said.

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