Court records statement of local journalist

Deposition by prosecution witnesses in one of the two cases filed in connection with the grenade attack on British High Commissioner Anwar Chow-dhury continued for the 6th day yesterday.
Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Dipyoman Sarker yesterday recorded the statement of journalist Muhibur Rahman of local daily Jugabhery, who among others was injured in the attack on the British High Commissioner at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal (RA).
With him, deposition of 16 prosecution witnesses was recorded since August 26. Fifty-seven prosecution witnesses will be examined, court sources said.
Bangladesh-born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury and 70 others were hurt in the grenade attack that killed three persons. The attack was made after Juma prayers on May 21, 2004 on the premises of the shrine.
Those killed were Special Branch Assistant Sub-Inspector of police Kamal Uddin, Habibur Rahman Habib and Zobayer Ahmed Rubel.
Officials from the Scotland Yard, UK also visited the spot earlier to probe the incident.
Sylhet district judge on July 12 acquitted 20 of the accused as their names were dropped from the charge sheet. They were arrested after the grenade attack.
Days after the incident, the cases were transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as police failed to find clues to the incident.
CID filed two charge sheets-one under the Explosives Act and the other for killing-- against four persons. They are chief of outlawed Islamist militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Mufti (HuJi) Abdul Hannan, his brother Mofizur Rahman and HuJi operatives Delwar Hossain Ripon and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul.