Court orders impounding of assets of 10 fugitives in explosives case over ex-minister Kibria murder

A court has ordered authorities to confiscate assets of BNP leader Harris Chowdhury and nine other absconding suspects in the explosives case filed over the murder of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria.

Judge Mohammad Atabullah of Habiganj’s Special Tribunal-1 gave the order and fixed Mar 31 for the next hearing, said Public Prosecutor Sirajul Haque Chowdhury.

Police produced 11 suspects including Harkat-ul-jihad-al-Islami, Bangladesh leader Mufti Hannan in the court for Monday’s hearing. Harris Chowdhury was political advisor to BNP chief Khaleda Zia when she was prime minister in her 2001-6 term.

Five persons, including Kibria, were killed in a grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Habiganj’s Baidya Bazar on Jan 27, 2005.

The next day, Awami League leader Abdul Majid Khan had filed a murder case and the case under the Explosives Act with the Habiganj police.

In August last year, police pressed charges against 32 persons in the explosives case.

Harris Chowdhury has also been indicted in the Aug 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally and the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, expelled Sylhet City mayor Ariful Haq Chowdhury and Habiganj Mayor GK Gous are also accused in the cases over the killing of former Awami League minister Kibria.

Proceedings of the explosives case are being held at a Habiganj court, and those of the murder case at a Speedy Trial Tribunal in Sylhet.