Court acquits Mayor Nasir Uddin, others in attempt-to-murder case

A court has acquitted everyone, including Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and Feni MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, of charges of attempting to murder a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader 22 years ago.

Chittagong District and Sessions Judge Nurul Huda gave the verdict on Wednesday.

“Everyone has been acquitted because the charges against them could not be proven in court,” Prosecutor Abul Hashem told bdnews24.com.

Sufian Siddiqui, then a local leader of Awami League’s student front, survived an armed attack when a public rally for Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina was being held at Laldighi ground on Jan 14, 1993.

After the verdict, Siddiqui said he was ‘wholeheartedly satisfied’ with the verdict, as he had to file the case on ‘being forced by the then BNP government’.

“AJM Nasir is my leader. Hasan Mahmud Hasni is my childhood friend. There is no question of me filing a case against them,” he told bdnews24.com.

Asked why he had filed the case then, he said, “The BNP was in power then. I was young. I was forced to file the case.”

Siddiqui was the publicity secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s city unit during the attack.

Nasir Uddin was a member of Awami League’s Chittagong City unit.

Siddiqui’s ‘childhood friend’ Hasni is the organising secretary of the ruling party’s port city unit now.