Muhammad Ali Bukhari, CNMNG News

Dhaka, March 23: A court has sentenced 14 militants to death for plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and sedition by planting a bomb at a public meeting place in Kotalipara, Gopalganj in Bangladesh 21 years ago.

For such today, the judge of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 Abu Zafar Md. Kamruzzaman gave the verdict. The verdict also called for the execution of 14 militants each in a “firing squad”.

Following the verdict, the court said that exemplary punishment of the accused was the only way to prevent the recurrence of such atrocities.

The 14 convicts sentenced to death are Mofizur Rahman alias Mahibullah, Anisul Islam alias Anis, Mahmud Azhar, Rasheduzzaman alias Rashed Khan, Sarwar Hossain Mia, Tareq Hossain alias Marfat Ali, Abdul Wadud Mollah, Azizul Haque, Lokman, Yusuf alias Moshab Moral, Sheikh Mohammad Enamul Haque, Mosaheb Hasan alias Rashu, Amirul Islam and Rafiqul Islam. Five of the accused are fugitives. They are Azizul, Lokman, Yusuf, Enamul and Mosaheb.

All of the accused have been identified as members of the banned militant group Harkatul Jihad al-Islami (HUJI). Nine accused in jail were produced in court during the verdict. The court and its surroundings were also under tight security during the verdict were announced.

In this incident, the police filed three cases under Kotalipara Police Station under the Act of Assassination, Conspiracy to Assassination and Explosives Control Act.

The trial court ruled on August 20, 2017 in the case of attempted murder and explosives control act. The verdict sentenced 10 militants to death and 13 to various terms of imprisonment. In that case, there was also an appeal verdict in the attempted murder case. The High Court upheld the death sentence of 10 militants in a verdict announced on February 18. One convict sentenced to life imprisonment and two convicts sentenced to 14 years have also been upheld. Another convict sentenced to 14 years has been acquitted by the high court.

On the other hand, the Crime and Investigation Department (CID) of the police filed a charge sheet in the court on November 15, 2001 in the case of conspiracy to commit murder and sedition. On November 21, 2004, the court framed charges against the 14 accused. Of the 50 prosecution witnesses, 34 testified. The arguments in the case ended on March 11.

Public Prosecutor (PP) Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan pursued the case on behalf of the state. Lawyers Moniruzzaman, Hedayet Ullah and Rafiqul Islam represented the accused.

At the hearing, the state wanted the death penalty for all the accused. That is why PP Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan has expressed satisfaction with the verdict.