Court to deliver verdict on plot to kill Hasina on Sunday

A Dhaka court is set to deliver on Sunday its verdict over an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 17 years ago.

Dhaka's Second Speedy Trial Tribunal judge Mamtaj Begum will deliver the verdict. She announced the verdict date on Aug 10.

On Jul 20 of 2000, police found two 76-kilogram bombs in a school field at Kotalipara where Hasina, on her first term as prime minister, was scheduled to address an election campaign rally.

Of the 25 accused in the two cases filed over an attempted murder and explosives, Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Hannan has already been executed in another case.

Eight accused are in prison, one has been granted bail while 15 others are fugitives, said defence lawyer Faruk Ahammad.

The court has heard 63 witnesses in the case for attempted murder, said special state counsel Syed Shamsul Haque Badal. Thirty-nine have testified in the case filed under the Explosives Act, he said. 

Seven of the accused have given statements to court under Section 164 of the CrPC, which can be used as evidence in the trial.

The bombs were discovered while a stage for the rally was being set up on Sheikh Lutfur Rahman College ground in Kotalipara, the electoral constituency of the Awami League chief.

Hasina was scheduled to address the rally two days later.