The state has officially appealed the acquittal of BNP`s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, and several others in the August 21 grenade attack case, marking a significant legal move in one of Bangladesh’s most infamous incidents of political violence.
The appeal challenges the High Court’s ruling that cleared Rahman, who had previously been sentenced to life in prison, and former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar, who had been sentenced to death.
This confirmation came on March 19 from the office of the Attorney General, as it was revealed that the appeal is now listed on the Supreme Court’s cause list, setting the stage for a new chapter in the long-running legal battle.
The incident in question, which shocked the nation, occurred on August 21, 2004, when a grenade attack targeted an anti-terrorism rally organized by the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.
The attack left a lasting impact on the country`s political landscape and resulted in numerous casualties, including senior Awami League leaders.
In a 2018 landmark verdict, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 delivered the initial rulings in this high-profile case.
Judge Shahed Nuruddin handed down death sentences to 19 individuals, including Lutfozzaman Babar, who served as the state minister for home affairs during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government from 2001 to 2006, as well as Abdus Salam Pintu, a former deputy minister.
Two of the convicted individuals, Brigadier General (Retd.) Abdur Rahim and Sheikh Abdus Salam, passed away in 2021 while receiving medical treatment.
Alongside these death sentences, the tribunal also sentenced Tarique Rahman, BNP leader Haris Chowdhury, and Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain, along with 19 others, to life imprisonment.
An additional 11 people were handed sentences of varying lengths by the trial court. After this verdict, the case reached the High Court later in 2018 through a death reference, and the convicted prisoners appealed their sentences.
The state’s appeal comes in response to the High Court’s decision on December 1, 2023, to acquit several of the accused, including Tarique Rahman and Lutfozzaman Babar, overturning the previous court’s decision.
This ruling has reignited debate around the case, given the significant public interest surrounding the attack and its political ramifications.
The journey of the legal proceedings in the August 21 case has been long and complex. Initially, two separate cases were filed at the Motijheel Police Station following the grenade attack—one for murder and the other under the Explosives Act.
In 2007, under the caretaker government, both cases underwent fresh investigation.
By 2008, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police submitted charge sheets naming 22 individuals as suspects.
Under the subsequent Awami League administration, further investigations led to the submission of a supplementary charge sheet, which added 30 more accused individuals, including Tarique Rahman.
In October 2018, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 issued its final verdicts in the murder and explosives cases.
Following this, the case files and the trial court`s rulings were sent to the High Court, where the acquittal decisions were later made in 2023.
The state`s appeal against these acquittals signals that the case, which has gripped Bangladesh for two decades, is far from over.
The legal battle over the grenade attack continues to draw attention as families of the victims, political figures, and the public await the final resolution.
With new developments unfolding in the Supreme Court, this case remains one of the most pivotal legal and political stories in the nation.
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