In a dramatic turn, the High Court has acquitted 47 individuals, including 9 death sentence convicts and 25 serving life sentences, in the case of the 1994 attempted assassination of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On Wednesday, a dual bench of the High Court, led by Justices Muhammad Mahbub-ul Islam and Mohammad Hamidur Rahman, delivered the verdict, stating that the trial was biased and that the lower court’s judgment had been influenced by prejudice.
The original case, filed following the 1994 assassination attempt on Sheikh Hasina, occurred during her tenure as the leader of the opposition. On September 23 of that year, Sheikh Hasina was on a train march in connection with a party program when gunshots and bombs were allegedly fired at her at the Ishwardi station.
In 2019, the additional district and sessions judge’s court in Pabna sentenced 9 accused to death and 25 to life imprisonment, while imposing fines. The convicted individuals were all members of the BNP and its associated organizations. Since then, five of the accused have died.
Libety News’ court correspondent states that the High Court ruling now clears all the accused, including those previously sentenced to death, citing flaws in the original trial.
LND/BAIZID
