Kotalipara bomb recovery: 10 get death for attempting to kill Hasina

Ten persons were awarded death penalty for attempting to assassinate the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina planting 76kg bomb in Kotalipara of Gopalganj in 2000.

Judge of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal -2 Mamtaz Begum also sentenced one person to life term imprisonment and three others to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The court also acquitted 10 other accused, as charges brought against them were not proven.

Among the 14 convicts, nine were sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for making the bombs.

The convicts are Wasim Akter alias Tarek, Md Rashed Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Yusuf Alias Moshat Morol, Md Sheikh Farid alias Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafej Zahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Hafej Selim Howlader, Hafej Maulana Yahia, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye and Maulana Abdur Rauf alias Abdur Razzaque.

Subject to confirmation of the High Court, the 10 death row convicts will be executed in firing squad, the judge said.

Mehedi Hasan alias Abdur Wadud was sentenced to life term imprisonment while Anisul Islam alias Anis, Md Nohibullah alias Mohidur Rahman and Sarwar Hossain Mia were given 14 years of rigorous imprisonment.

The 76kg bomb was recovered at the Sheikh Lutfor Rahman Ideal College under Kotalipara upazila in Gopalganj on July 21 in 2000 which was planted aiming to kill the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was supposed to address a rally there the next day.

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Sub-Inspector Nur Hossain of Kotalipara Police Station filed the case under the Explosive Substances Act following the incident.

Criminal Investigation Department submitted the charge sheet against Mufti Hannan and 24 others on April 8 in 2001, showing 83 people as prosecution witnesses.

Gopalganj District and Sessions Judge's Court framed charges against the 25 on July 2 the same year.

The Gopalganj court recorded statements of 40 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case. Then, the case was shifted to the Speedy Trial Tribunal from Gopalganj District and Sessions Judge's Court for its quick disposal.

In the meantime, prime accused Hannan was hanged on April 12, 2017 at Kashimpur High-Security Prison for killing three people and injuring former British high commissioner in Bangladesh and dozen others in Sylhet 13 years ago.