The High Court adjourned the hearing on death reference and appeals in the case filed for the 2001 Ramna Batamul bomb blasts till October 24. The blast left 10 people dead at the Pahela Baishakh celebrations.

The HC bench, led by Justice Krishna Debnath and ASM Abdul Mobin, passed the adjournment order today as Deputy Attorney General Shahin Ahmed Khan sought time for hearing the matter.

He told the HC that the state wants to place its arguments in this case in physical presence after the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is over.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Shishir Manir, a defence lawyer for death-row convict Moulana Akbar Hossain alias Helaluddin, told the court that the case has been included in the HC's hearing lists 375 times since 2014, but the benches concerned adjourned the hearing each time following the state's adjournment prayers.

He prayed to the HC to grant bail to his client Moulana Akbar or order the jail authorities to shift him to a normal cell from the condemned cell.

The HC bench asked lawyer Shishir Manir to submit a written application before the court in this regard.

Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that he will submit the writ application to the HC next week.

There is no evidence and documents to prove charges against the convicts, he said adding that the trial court has delivered an "emotional verdict" in the case.

"My client has been suffering in a condemned cell for around 20 years, although there is no evidence against him," he added.

Two bombs went off during Bangla New Year 1408 celebrations on April 14, 2001, organised by Chhayanaut, a leading cultural organisation, at Ramna Batamul in Dhaka. Ten people were killed and dozens injured in the incident.