Court Correspondent :
The much-awaited verdict in the case filed over deaths of 10 people in the gruesome Ramna Batamul blasts on the Pahela Baishak about 13 years ago is nearing with the beginning of argument in the court of Dhaka’s Second Additional Metropolitan Session Judge on Monday.
The argument on behalf of the prosecution was not concluded and Judge of the court Md Ruhul Amin set February 6 as the next date to hear further argument on behalf of the prosecution.
On Monday, Additional Public Prosecutor SM Zahid Hossain alias Zahid Sarder began his
submission and in the beginning he sought cancellation of the bail of accused Moulana Akbar Hosssain. He said that at this stage of the case, accused may be an absconder, sensing his punishment in the case. But the defense lawyer vehemently opposed his plea against the bail. He said, the trial process of the case has been continuing for the last 12 years and his client was present in the court on all the dates. The court, however, cancelled the bail.
Of the 84 witnesses in the case, the court recorded the depositions of 61, to deliver the verdict.
During the traditional celebration of Bangla New Year 1408 on April 14in 2001at Ramna Batamul in the capital, a powerful bomb blast claimed lives of 10 people, leaving at least 50 others wounded.
Following the incident, two cases, one for murder and the other under the Explosive Substances Act, were filed with Ramna Police Station.
The CID submitted charge sheets in both the cases against 14 leaders of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) on December 30, 2008. Of them, Hannan, Sumon, Jewel, Abu Taher, Sheikh Farid, Sabbira, Yahia and Rouf are behind the bar while Akbar was on High Court bail. The five others are on the run. They are Tajuddin, Jahangir Alam Badr, Abu Bakr alias Selim Howlader, Shafiqur Rahman and Abdul Hai.
