M Faruque Hossain :
More than 300 militant-related cases are now pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC). But there is no progress to dissolve those cases. As a result, the accused militants are active to make new network, SC official sources said.
On the other hand, Additional Registrar (Law and Administration) M Sabbir Foyez told The New Nation on Monday, “We exactly do not know how many militant-related cases are pending with the Appellate Division. We are preparing a list of those cases.”
Among the cases, the Ramna Batamul bombing attack case is now pending before the High Court. Hartkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) leader Mufti Abdul Hannan and 13 other militants were accused in the murder case of the bomb blast at Pohela Baishakh programme at Ramna in 2001.
The appeal of five Huji militants in connection with attempting an assassination of British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in 2004 is now pending with the Appellate Division while the Udichi bomb blast case is pending before the High Court Division.
According to law experts, the militants continue their network with their organization staying in the jail. They are even making a new network with their fellow jail mates.
Sources at the Home Ministry and the Law Ministry said, about 500 cases of 21 top listed terrorists are pending with the trial courts. The delay of trial process is hindering execution of their punishment.
Disposal of these cases are reportedly delaying because of administrative and cause list complexes. The lawyers representing these cases are extending time for hearing. Since the execution of two top leader of Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Sheikh Abdur Rahman and Siddiqur Rahman alias Bangla Bhai, no other punishments for the militants were executed.
About 179 death row militants and more than 300 other militants have been staying in different jails in the country in different cases. As the cases are pending for final disposal the execution of their sentences are hindering.
