50 get different jail terms in Bangladesh PM Hasina’s convoy attack case

Bangladesh Desk: A court in Satkhira has sentenced 50  persons to different terms in jail in the case regarding 2002’s attack on the convoy of then-opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Humayun Kabir delivered the verdict on Tuesday morning.

Assistant Attorney General Advocate SM Munir confirmed the matter.

The verdict sentenced three accused to 10 years of jail, including former BNP MP Habibul Islam Habib, and some others to nine years imprisonment.

The minimum sentence is four years of imprisonment.

On Thursday morning, 34 accused in the case were produced before court from jail.

The hearings in the case began on January 27.

The court declared the bail cancellation on that day and sent all 34 accused in custody to jail. One of the 50 accused in this case now behind the bars is Tiger Khokon. Fifteen other accused including former Councillor Abdul Quader Bacchu remain on the run.

UNB adds: on January 27, the court fixed February 4 for delivering its judgment in the case.

The accused also include Kalaroa’s former mayor Akhtarul Islam, Satkhira Bar Association’s former general secretary advocate Abdus Sattar, advocate of Supreme Court Abdus Samad, three former UP chairmen Ashraf Hossain, Rakibul Islam and Rabiul Islam and other activists of BNP.

Tiger Khokon, one of the 50 accused, is serving jail time in another case. Sixteen others accused of the case, including former councilor Abdul Kader Bacchu, are absconding.

On Aug 30, 2002, Prime Minister Hasina, the then opposition chief, was returning to Magura after visiting a freedom fighter’s wife in Satkhira when her convoy got attacked in Kalaroa upazila of the district.

Hasina survived the attack relatively unscathed but many Awami League leaders and workers were injured along with some journalists.

Kalaroa Freedom Fighter Mohammad Moslem Uddin filed a case against 27 men for the attack which was later dismissed due to not being recorded at the police station.

The case wad reopened on October 15, 2014 and police pressed charges in court against 50 accused in this connection.