The defence at the August 21, 2004, grenade attack case on Tuesday continued placing its arguments for the third day as counsels for three fugitive accused concluded their part of hearing in the case.
Counsels for Jahangir Alam Badar, Ratul Ahmed Babu, Mohibul Mottakin placed arguments for their respective clients today and pleaded for acquitting them of the charges.
Judge Shahed Nur Uddin of Dhaka 1st Speedy Trial Tribunal then adjourned the hearing till January 10.
On earlier occasions, counsels for Hanif Paribahan owner Md Hanif, Md Khalil, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Haris Chowdhury and Anisul Mursalin concluded placing arguments for their respective clients.
Earlier the prosecution in their closing arguments pleaded for maximum punishment for the accused in the trial.
“For the sake of justice and to meet the expectation of the justice seekers, we are pleading for maximum punishment for the accused,” Chief Prosecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman said.
“The main aim of that barbaric attack was to eliminate the top leadership of Awami League including its president Sheikh Hasina and create a vacuum among the force in support of war of liberation and independence,” Rahman added.
The chief prosecutor said one of the goals of the attackers was to unimpeded the activities of militant outfits like HuJI, Hijb-ul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiaba, Tehrik-e Jihad-e Islam and Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) in the country.
The prosecution on December 27, 2017, concluded its arguments on facts.
The prosecution in their earlier arguments had said a total of five local and foreign militant outfits were involved in the barbaric attack, killing 24 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami League.
“Apart from these groups, Pakistan intelligence agency ISI and then BNP-Jamaat alliance government orchestrated the attack. The then government used Ministry of Home Affairs, DGFI, NSI and Bangladesh Police in executing the conspiracy,” he added.
A total of 24 AL leaders and workers including the then Mohila Awami League President and wife of late President Zillur Rahman, Ivy Rahman, were killed and 500 others were injured.
