Court Correspondent :
A court of Pabna sentenced nine BNP activists to death and 25 others to life-term imprisonment on Wednesday for attacking a train carrying then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in 1994.
Besides, Special Tribunal-3’s Judge-in-Charge and Additional District and Sessions Judge Rustom Ali, while delivering the verdict in the case, in a crowded courtroom on Wednesday morning, sentenced 13 others to 10 years in the prison.
The verdict says that the death awarded convicts will have to pay Tk five lakh each as fine in default they will suffer three years rigorous imprisonment (RI) while the life term sentenced convicts were fined Tk three lakh each, in default they will also suffer two years’ RI.
Meanwhile, the 10 years imprisoned convicts were fined Tk one lakh in default they will be in the prison for one more year. Those sentenced to death are- BNP’s Ishwardi Municipality unit General Secretary Zakaria Pintu, former municipality unit Chief Mokhlesur Rahman Bablu, former General Secretary Akhteruzzaman Akhter, former chief of Chhatra Dal’s Ishwardi upazila unit Rezaul Karim Shaheen, Shahidul Islam, Mahbubur Rahman, Mostafa Nur-e-Alam Shyamal, Azizur Rahman Shahin and Shamsul Alam.
Those imprisoned for life are- Al Amin, Islam Hossain Jewel, Khokon, Alauddin Biswas, Shimu, Anis Shekhon, Nurul Islam, Akkel Ali, Robi, Enam, Kollol, Kala Babu, Mamun, Selim Ahmed, Mamunur Rahman, Tuhin, Liton, Abdullah Al Mamun Ripon, Laizu, Abdul Zabbar, Abdul Hakim Tenu, Abul Kalam, Alamgir Hossain, Palash and AKM Firozul Islam alias Payel.
Thirteen others sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment are- Nefaur Rahman Raju, Bablu, Anwar Hosain Jony, Barkat, Mukta, Mukul, Humayun Kabir alias Dulal Sadar, Zamrul, Tuhin Bin Siddique, Maula, Fazlur Rashmna, Abdul Barik and Rustom.
Advocate Aktaruzzaman Mukta represented the state while Advocate Nurul Islam stood for the accused.
Last Sunday was scheduled for recording the deposition of defence witnesses. However, of the accused 30 accused did not produced any witness on the day and they sought bail and more time, while the court sent them to the jail rejecting their bail pleas and time petitions. Later, on Monday, the court heard the arguments of both sides and fixed Wednesday to pronounce the verdict. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, two more accused persons surrendered to the court in the case.
A Rajshahi-bound train carrying Sheikh Hasina was suddenly attacked at Pakshi Rail Station on September 23, 1994. The attackers fired shots and hurled bombs at the train. Nazrul Islam, the then Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi Railways Police Station filed the case. Police pressed charges in court against 52 suspects on April 3, 1997.
Of the 52 accused of the case, 47 were convicted. Thirty two were present in the crowded court-room while the verdict was being pronounced. Five of the accused died during the trial process of 25 years.
