Fugitive convict in PM’s motorcade attack case held in Satkhira

Police have arrested a fugitive offender, who was convicted of attacking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's convoy in a 2002 incident in Satkhira, from Chaita village of Satkhira's Kalaroa Upazila in the early hours of Tuesday.

The accused was identified as Yasin Ali, 42, son of Akter Ali of Raita village in Kalaroa upazila.

Kalaroa Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mir Khairul Kabir confirmed the matter and said, "on information, police arrested Yasin Ali who had been on the run for a long time."

"He was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison," the OC said, adding that there are three more cases against him.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's motorcade was attacked on 30 August 2002 in front of the Kalaroa Upazila BNP office in Satkhira, when the BNP-led four-party alliance government was in power.

Sheikh Hasina was on her way to Magura after visiting a rape victim and wife of a freedom fighter at Satkhira Sadar Hospital.

When her motorcade reached the Kalaroa Upazila BNP office area, a group of terrorists attacked with machetes, bombs, and firearms.

Several people, including former MP Mujibur Rahman, were injured when the terrorists fired on the convoy and detonated bombs.

On the same day, Kalaroa Upazila Freedom Fighter, Commander Moslem Uddin, filed a case.

Upon investigating the case, police filed a charge sheet against 50 people, including against then BNP MP, Habibul Islam.

The charges against the accused say the attack aimed to assassinate Sheikh Hasina.

In dealing with the three separate charge sheets filed under the attempted murder, explosives, and firearms acts, the lower court on 4 February, gave the verdict for the attempted murder case.

In that verdict, all the 50 accused were sentenced to different jail terms.