21 Aug grenade attack case: Appellate Division accepts leave to appeal against acquittal of Tarique, others
The hearing on the leave to appeal began on 15 May, and the requests were accepted after two more hearings on 28 May and today
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has accepted two separate leave to appeal petitions filed by the state, allowing them to appeal against the High Court verdict that acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and others from the 21 August grenade attack case.
A six-member bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed accepted the state's leave to appeal applications today (1 June), reports Prothom Alo.
The hearing on the leave to appeal began on 15 May, and the requests were accepted after two more hearings on 28 May and today.
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During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Muhammad Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan represented the state, while senior lawyers SM Shahjahan and Mohammad Shishir Monir stood for the defence.
After the hearing, Shahjahan told reporters, "The court has fixed 1 July for the appeal hearing and asked the state to submit an appeal summary by this date."
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.
