Court Correspondent :
Another prosecution witness testified yesterday in the August 21 grenade attack case and that rose the number of witnesses to 99.
On Wednesday, seizure list writer of the case, Sub-Inspector Khandaker Mizanur Rahman of Motijheel Police Station in the city testified to the court, while Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 recorded his depositions at his makeshift courtroom, beside the Central Jail of Najimuddin Road in the city.
The deposition of witnesses began on October 29, 2008 to allow all 491
witnesses to testify in the sensational case. The total number of accused is 52 and on March 18, 2012, charges were framed against 30 people including BNP Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman.
Two cases, one under the Explosive Substances Act and the other for murder were filed following the incident.
Of the accused, 25 including former minister, state minister, deputy minister and Huji leader Mufti Hannan were produced to the court, while 19 accused including Tarique Rahman, Begum Khaleda Zia’s political secretary Harris Chowdhury and former BNP MP Kazi Shah Mufazzal Hossain Kaikobad are on the run.
Chief Prosecutor of the case Syed Rezaur Rahman and Advocate Khandaker Abdul Mannan were present in the court.
On August 21, 2004, a terrible grenade attack made on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.
A total of 24 people, including wife of former party general secretary and late President Zillur Rahman and Awami League’s the then Secretary of Women Affairs Ivy Rahman, died in the attack. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader survived the attack. More than 300 others were injured in the incident.
