Verdict set for Sunday on 28-year-old case over attempt on Hasina’s life

A Dhaka court is set to deliver the verdict on two cases against Freedom Party leaders and activists over an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that took place 28 years ago.

The Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahidul Kabir decision is expected on Sunday.

On Oct 16, the court fixed the date after closing arguments ended.

"It took so long for the verdict due to police's inactivity," Abdullah Abu, the chief counsel for the state, told bdnews24.com after the hearing ended.

The 12 accused in the cases are Golam Sarwar alias 'Mamun', Joj Mia, Freedom Sohel, Syed Nazmul Maksud Murad, Gazi Imam Hossain, Khandaker Amirul Islam Kajal, Mizanur Rahman, Humayun Kabir, Md Shahjahan Bali, Abdur Rashid, Zafar Ahmad and H Kabir.

On the night of Aug 10, 1989, attackers hurled bombs and opened fire targeting Awami League chief Hasina's house at Dhanmondi 32. She was at home.

The investigators identified leaders and activists of the Freedom Party, founded by the self-proclaimed assassins of Hasina's father, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, involved in the attack.

 Police Constable Zahirul Islam, who was on duty at the Bangabandhu Bhaban, now Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, started a case over the attack during the military regime of HM Ershad.

In the case, he said a team of 10 to 12, led by Freedom Party members 'Kajal' and 'Kabir' carried out the attack.

The attackers raised slogans like 'Col Faruque-Rashid Zindabad' while fleeing, he said.

The case proceedings did not gain pace when the BNP came to power after the ouster of Ershad.

Police charged 12 in court on Feb 20, 1997 after the Awami League returned to power.

The case proceedings lost pace again after the BNP came back to power in 2001. Charges were framed against the 12 accused on July 5, 2009, after the Awami League took power again.

Lawyer Abu told bdnews24.com that one of the two cases was filed on charges of attempt to murder and the other under the Explosives Act.

According to Awami League leaders, assailants have made attempts on Hasina's life 19 times after the killings of Bangabandhu and most members of the family on Aug 15, 1975.

Earlier in August this year, 10 people were sentenced to death in one of the Hasina assassination bid cases.

The convicts plotted to kill Hasina by planting a huge bomb on the ground of a rally she had been scheduled to address in July 2010.