Dhaka attack: Hasnat denied bail despite being dropped from charge sheet

A Dhaka court today rejected a bail petition of former private university teacher Hasnat Reza Karim in Holey Artisan Cafe’ attack case, even though his name was dropped from the charge sheet submitted on July 23.

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

Meanwhile, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman Hiru today transferred the case against eight militants to the Anti-Terrorism Tribunal for its trial, Sheikh Rokibur Rahman, general recording officer (GRO) at the CMM Court, confirmed it.

Earlier on July 23, Humayun Kabir, an inspector of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit of DMP and also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate Nurunnahar Yasmin.

Among the eight charge-sheeted accused, six are now in jail. They 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.

The other two -- Shahriful Islam Khaled and Mamunur Rashid Ripon -- are fugitives and have fled the country, police say.

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

The investigators, however, did not name Hasnat Reza Karim 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 Hasnat from the charges.

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