Holey Artisan Case: Court rejects Hasnat's bail petition

A Dhaka court yesterday rejected the bail petition of Hasnat Reza Karim in Gulshan's Holey Artisan Cafe' attack case, even though the former private university teacher was not named in the charge sheet submitted on July 23.

Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Fahd bin Amin Chowdhury passed the order after Hasnat's lawyer Hasib UR Rashid moved a petition seeking bail in the case.

In his order, the magistrate said as the case was ready for trial and the trial would be conducted by the Anti-Terrorism Tribunal, the court rejected the bail petition of Hasnat.

During yesterday's hearing, the lawyer said his client's name was not included in the charge sheet as the investigators did not find his involvement in the incident, adding that his client had been languishing in jail for over two years without trial. So, his client should be granted bail in the case.  

Meanwhile, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman Hiru yesterday transferred the case against eight militants to the Anti-Terrorism Tribunal for its trial, said Sheikh Rokibur Rahman, general recording officer at the CMM Court. 

On July 23, Humayun Kabir, an inspector of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate Nurunnahar Yasmin, accusing the eight.

The accused are: Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, recruiter of the café attackers; Rashed alias Rash, one of the planners; Sohel Mahfuz, grenade supplier; arms suppliers Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Mizan and Hadisur Rahman Sagor, and Rakibul Islam, so-called religious trainer, Shahriful Islam Khaled and Mamunur Rashid Ripon.

Of them, the first six are now in jail while the two others are on the run.

The IO appealed to the court to issue arrest warrants for the two and an order to attach their properties.

The investigators, however, didn't name Hasnat in the charge sheet as they found no evidence against him after analysing accounts from witnesses and arrested militants.

So, the IO appealed to the court to relieve him from the charges.

On July 1, 2016, seventeen foreigners were among the 20 hostages massacred in the café attack -- nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian. Two police officers also lost their lives as they responded immediately.