Security tightened in Ctg Court

Security has been beefed up in and around the Chittagong Court premises on Thursday ahead of the verdict of the 2004 arms haul case.

Movement of people has been restricted in the area since morning.

Those entering the premises, including the court staff, were frisked and searched by police.

Chittagong Sessions and Special Tribunal-1 Judge SM Mojibur Rahman will deliver the judgment in two cases filed over the arms haul during the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami coalition government’s 2001-06 tenure.
Some of the main accused in the sensational 10-truck arms haul case have been brought to Chittagong the previous day.

Jamaat chief and former Industry Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and BNP leader former State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar have been brought to Chittagong from Dhaka on Wednesday evening.

Chittagong Police's Additional Deputy Commissioner (South) Manjur Morshed said that at least 500 policemen have been deployed at key points around the court.

RAB, Armed police and Ansar personnel are also deployed, he said.

Police had seized 10 trucks of weapons and ammunition from the state-owned Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) jetty in the port city while they were being off loaded from trawlers in the early hours of April 2, 2004.

Around 1,500 boxes containing submachine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, submachine carbines, Chinese pistols, rocket shells and launchers, hand grenades and bullets were seized.

The seizure of the huge cache of arms had caused a huge furore in Bangladesh and neighbouring India after it was found that much of the weapons were meant for rebel groups in its restive northeastern region.

Investigations revealed that the arms had been smuggled in from China by the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

It's military wing chief Paresh Barua is also accused in the two cases