Attack on Hasina’s train: HC accepts appeals of 43 convicts

The High Court (HC) today accepted three separate appeals filed by 43 convicts in a case over attack on a train carrying the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in Pabna's Ishwardi 25 years ago.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice SM Abdul Mobin agreed to take the appeals after defence lawyer Barrister Kayser Kamal moved a prayer in this regard.

Barrister Kayser told The Daily Star that the HC will fix a date later for hearing the appeals.

The 43 convicts on July 21 filed the appeals with the HC seeking acquittal of the charges in the case.

Among the convicted appellants, who are now in jail, eight were sentenced to death, 22 were sentenced to life imprisonment and 13 were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the lower court concerned.

On July 3 this year, a Pabna court convicted and sentenced nine people to death, life imprisonment to 25, and 10 years rigorous imprisonment to 13 others in the case filed under the Explosives Substances Act, 1908.

All the convicts are leaders and activists of local BNP and its front organisations.

On September 23, 1994, Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, was travelling from Khulna to Saidpur by train and addressed several rallies at different railway stations on the way.

As the train reached Paksey station in Ishwardi, it came under attack. Crude bombs were hurled and shots fired. The attack continued till the train reached Ishwardi station. Many were injured while the AL president was unhurt.

Following the attack, Nazrul Islam, the then officer-in-charge of Ishwardi General Railway Police Station, filed a case against five members of the BNP and its associate bodies.