21 August grenade attack case: Appellate Division to hear state's appeal against acquittals Tuesday
The grenade attack on 21 August 2004 targeted an Awami League rally led by Sheikh Hasina, killing 24 people
The Appellate Division has fixed Tuesday (6 May) for hearing the state's leave to appeal against the High Court verdict that acquitted former home minister Lutfozzaman Babar and BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in the 21 August grenade attack case.
A four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, set the date today (4 May) following separate applications submitted by the state.
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.
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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.
