Why should Joj Mia not be duly compensated: HC

The High Court on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to explain why Jamal Ahmed, also known as Joj Mia, the man falsely implicated in the grenade attack incident of 21 August 2004, should not be adequately compensated.

The court also wanted to know why the four year-imprisonment of Joj Mia should not be declared "illegal".

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo issued the rule following a writ petition seeking HC directives on the Tk10 crore compensation claim of Joj Mia.

The home secretary, deputy commissioner of Dhaka, officers in charge of the Motijheel Police Station and Noakhali Senbag Police Station, the authorities of the Criminal Investigation Department, former IGP Mohammad Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, former assistant superintendents of police Abdur Rashid and Munshi Atiqur Rahman, and former superintendent of police Md Ruhul Amin, were asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.

In August, a legal notice was sent to the concerned, including the home secretary, seeking Tk10 crore in compensation for Joj Mia.

Later in September, Joj Mia's lawyer, Mohammad Humayan Kabir Pallab, filed a writ petition with the High Court (HC) seeking direction in this regard. The writ also sought directives to confiscate all the assets of former state minister for home affairs, Lutfuzzaman Babar, former IGP, Mohammad Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, former ASP Abdur Rashid, Munsi Atiqur Rahman, and former special superintendent of police, Ruhul Amin, to pay out the compensation money.

On 21 August 2004, a grenade attack was carried out on then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina's rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. Twenty-two people, including several Awami League leaders and workers, were killed.

Falsely implicated in the August 21 grenade attack case, Joj Mia gained infamy seemingly overnight after his arrest by the Criminal Investigation Department from his home on 10 June 2005.  He was remanded for 17 days and interrogated by the CID.

In the confession given to the court on 26 June 2005, Joj Mia said he was paid to participate in the grenade attack. Joj Mia later said he was intimidated into making a statement about his involvement in the grenade attack.

Later in 2007, the caretaker government came and took the initiative to investigate this case again. After the investigation, the CID issued the charge sheet for the two cases on 11 June 2008. In the same year, the imprisoned Joj Mia was acquitted.