Chronology of Ctg arms haul cases

April 1, 2004

Police find around 1,500 boxes of weapons and ammunition being offloaded at Chittagong’s CUFL jetty from two fishing trawlers in the early hours. Five arrested from the site.

April 2, 2004

Police escort 10 trucks of weapons to Dampara Police Lines. State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar inspects the weapons.

April 3, 2004

Karnaphuli Police Station OC Ahadur Rahman files two cases over the haul, without naming anyone in the cases details.

June 11, 2004

CID ASP Kabir Uddin’s chargesheet submitted in the court accusing 43 under the Arms Act.

Nov 9, 2004

CID ASP Naosher Ali Khan accuses 45 of smuggling in his chargesheet.

July 6, 2005

The trial begins on July 6, 2005 with the testimony of the plaintiff OC Ahadur Rahman. Testimonies are recorded until Aug 14, 2007 with 31 deposing in arms case and 28 in the case under Special Powers Act for arms smuggling.

Nov, 2007

Prosecution pleads for extended probe. Court makes seven observations and orders further investigation into the cases.

Feb 4, 2009

CID official Moniruzzaman Chowdhury appointed as the cases’ investigation officer.

June 26, 2011

After extension of the probe deadline 13 times, IO Moniruzzaman submits chargesheet accusing 11 new high-profile persons, including Matiur Rahman Nizami and Lutfozzaman Babar. In all, 52 were named accused.

Nov 29, 2011

Testimonies in the two cases again started.

Oct 10, 2013

Testimonies conclude after the cross-examination of Moniruzzaman. A total of 56 persons testify in the arms case and 53 in smuggling case.

Nov 25, 2013

Prosecution starts argument.

Jan 13, 2014

Defence finishes arguing for eight accused.

Jan 30, 2014

Court sentences 14 to death for arms smuggling. The 14 are also convicted under two sections of the Arms Act and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Convicts

Matiur Rahman Nizami

The chief of Jamaat-e-Islami was minister for industries in the BNP-Jamaat coalition government at the time of the haul. He was shown arrested in the two 10-truck arms haul cases on May 4, 2011.

He was originally arrested in another case over hurting religious sentiments.

Then Industries Secretary Shoeb Ahmed and BCIC Chairman Imamuzzaman testified to court about Nizami’s involvement.

Lutfozzaman Babar

The former state minister for home affairs was already arrested in another case before he was shown arrested in the two cases on Oct 3, 2010.

Several members of the then government’s probe committee, set up after the 2004 haul, testified that Babar had intervened into their investigation.

The junior minister had tried to derail the cases’ probe, witnesses told court, and some said he was aware of the arms smuggling from before.

Paresh Barua

The military chief of Assamese rebel group Ulfa, currently at large, had a central role in the arms smuggling for which he paid multiple visits to Bangladesh, witnesses told court.

Nurul Amin

The former government officer was acting industries secretary during the weapons haul. Before the commencement of the trial in 2005, he went on hiding.

He was staying in CUFL’s rest house on the night when the weapons were being offloaded into its jetty. Amin had been fully aware of the smuggling but did nothing, several government officials told the court.

Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim

He became Director General of Bangladesh’s National Security Intelligence (NSI) in 2002. He was aware of the smuggling of the Chinese-made weapons.

Shahabuddin, another director of the NSI, had testified to his involvement, saying, Brig Gen Rahim had held a meeting about the arms consignment.

CID arrested him from his home in Dhaka on the night of May 15, 2009.

Maj Gen (Retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury

He was director of the DGFI, another state’s intelligence agency, during the time of the haul. The testimony of NSI director Shahabuddin liked him and Assam rebel group Ulfa to the weapons.

Rezzakul had become director general of NSI after Abdur Rahim. He was arrested on May 15, 2009 from his home in Old DOHS.

He went into forced retirement after state of emergency was declared in Jan 11, 2007.

Wing Commander (retd) Shahabuddin Ahmed

Shahabuddin, an NSI director during the haul, was associated with ‘Hawa Bhaban’, during the BNP-Jamaat tenure.

NSI Field officer Akbar Khan named Shahabuddin besides Abdur Rahim and Rezzakul in his testimony. The probe found his link with the arms smuggling.

He was arrested from his Green Road residence on May 2, 2009.

Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain

The NSI deputy director was supervising the offloading of the weapons at CUFL jetty on Apr 1, 2004 posing as Ulfa leader ‘Abul Hossain’.

He got involved in an argument with police officer Abdullahil Baki who had entered the scene. Liakat had also made Baki speak to NSI chief Abdur Rahim on the phone.

Police sergeant Alauddin and Helal Uddin identified him in a test identification (TI) parade at Chittagong Central Jail on June 24, 2009. He was earlier arrested from his Dhanmondi residence on May 26.

Liakat was named by Shahabuddin in his testimony.

Akbar Hossain Khan

The former field officer of the NSI had rented seven trucks to carry the smuggled weapons after being offloaded from the trawlers, Greenways Transport Owner Habibur Rahman and manager Taslim Mollik told detectives while being questioned during the extended probe.

Akbar was later brought to CID offices in Chittagong for questioning where he confessed to his involvement with the arms smuggling. He was shown arrested on April 19, 2009.

He implicated ex- NSI director Shahabuddin in his testimony.

Mohsin Uddin Talukder

The managing director of CUFL was inert despite knowing of the weapons. He was shown arrested on Mar 12, 2009 after interrogation.

KM Enamul Haq

The then CUFL general manager was arrested after being questioned by CID in Mar 12, 2009.

Hafizur Rahman

The smuggler was already arrested in two high-profile cases. He gave his testimony after being retaken into custody on Mar 2, 2009 during extended probe.

Hafiz’s confession to his and others involvement bolstered the probe.

Hafiz was also present at the CUFL jetty to supervise the offloading of the weapons. He fled the scene while police seized the consignment. His red private car was found on the spot.

Deen Mohammad

The smuggler had supplied the labours to offload the weapons from the trawlers. He gave a confessional testimony to court on March 2, 2009.

Haji Abdus Sobhan

The weapons at CUFL jetty were loaded into trawlers from a ship at deep sea. Abdus Sobhan owned one of the trawlers, Shah Amanat. He was also involved in the smuggling with Hafiz. He was arrested at the beginning of the investigation but later he secured bail. He was sent to jail after verdict was announced on Thursday.