Eleven persons were awarded 20 years’ imprisonment each for attempting to assassinate Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in 1989.
Judge of the Forth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court Md Zahidul Kabir on Sunday delivered the verdict in presence of nine accused out of 12. The court awarded total 20 years’ jail to the eleven persons under two sections (102/B, 307/109) of penal code (10 years each) in a case filed over the attempt on the life of Sheikh Hasina. The eleven convicts are Mizanur Rahman, Khandokar Amirul Islam, Md Shahjahan alias Balu, Gazi Imam Hossain, Zafar Ahmed, Humayun Kabir alias Humayun, Lt Col (retd) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Sohel alias Freedom Sohel, Golam Sarwar Mamun, Joj Miah and Syed Nazmul Maksud Murad
Of them, one accused – Humayun Kabir alias Kabir – was acquitted from the attempt to murder charge.
Three of the convicts-Zafar Ahmed, Humayun Kabir Humayun and Lt Col (retd) Khandaker Abdur Rashid-have been on the run. According to the case statement, a group of 10-12 Freedom Party men, led by Kajol and Kabir, fired gunshots and hurled grenades at Sheikh Hasina’s residence at Road-32 in Dhanmondi area of the city on August 10, 1989. They left the spot chanting the slogan ‘Farukh-Rashid Jindabad’ (Long live Farukh-Rashid). Zahurul Islam, security guard of the residence, filed two cases in this connection with Dhanmondi Police Station. Four accused of the cases-Sohel alias Freedom Sohel, Golam Sarwar Mamun, Joj Miah and Syed Nazmul Maksud Murad-are currently in jail and Humayun Kabir, Mizanur Rahman, Khandokar Amirul Islam, Md Shahjahan alias Balu and Gazi Imam Hossain were granted bail.
