21 Aug grenade attack: Appellate Division to hear state's leave to appeal tomorrow
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has set tomorrow (27 May) to hear the state's leave to appeal against the High Court verdict that acquitted all the accused, including former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and The BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, in the 21 August grenade attack case.
Although the hearing was originally scheduled for today (26 May), it was postponed due to the absence of Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, according to senior defense lawyer SM Shahjahan.
Earlier, on 15 May, the Appellate Division bench headed by the chief justice had begun hearing the leave to appeal but adjourned the proceedings until today.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
On 1 December 2024, the High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman (now an Appellate Division judge) and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdict acquitting Babar, who had been sentenced to death, and Tarique, who had received a life sentence.
The full text of the verdict was published on 19 December 2024.
In response, the state filed two separate leave to appeal petitions.
On 13 March, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division forwarded the petitions to the full bench.
The Attorney General's Office confirmed the appeals on 19 March.
The grenade attack on 21 August 2004 targeted an Awami League rally led by Sheikh Hasina, killing 24 people.
In 2018, a lower court sentenced 19 people, including Babar and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintoo, to death.
19 others, including Tarique, were given life sentences.
The High Court began hearing appeals in December 2022 after receiving the trial court's judgment for review.
