The death reference and appeals in the sensational Ramna Batamul carnage case have been pending with the High Court for about four years.

The court is yet to settle the death reference and appeals, although it started their hearing on January 8 last year.

If a lower court sentences any person to death in a case, its judgment is examined by the HC through hearing arguments for confirmation of the death sentence. The case documents and judgment reach as death reference to the HC from the lower court in seven days after the latter delivers the verdict. 

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Shahidul Karim has been set to hear arguments from the attorney general on the death reference and appeals in Ramna Batamul carnage case, since placing arguments by both the state and defence counsels have already been finished.

Contacted, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star today that he will place the arguments before the HC in RamnaBatamul carnage case when the court resumes hearing.The HC may resume the hearing after the reopening on its ongoing annual vacation, he said.

The court will reopen on May 6.

The attorney general said his office was not very much expeditious for hearing this case, as its main accused Mufti Abdul Hannan has already been executed for carrying out a grenade attack on the then British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet on May 21, 2004.

Besides, some other accused of this case are absconding, Advocate Mahbubey Alam added.

The HC bench led by Justice Enayetur Rahim on February 22 last year adjourned the hearing, as it was set to hear concluding arguments from the attorney generalon the matter.

But, the bench postponed the attorney general's hearing arguments as more time has been sought on behalf of him in this regard.

A Dhaka court on June 23, 2014 handed down death penalty to eight militants of Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji), including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, for killing 10 people in the attack on the Chhayanat function during PahelaBaishakh celebrations at Ramna Batamul in 2001.

Mufti Abdul Hannan, also one of the country's most dreaded militants, was involved in plotting and carrying out all the terror attacks by Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh, was executed on April 13 last yearat Kashimpur High Security Prison [in Gazipur].