Dhaka: The Supreme Court (SC) today adjourned the hearing on a state appeal against a High Court judgment that had acquitted all individuals previously convicted by a lower court in connection to the murder and explosives substances act cases related to the August 21, 2004, grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Bangabandhu Avenue. The hearing has been rescheduled to August 13.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the decision was made by a six-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed. The bench held a hearing on the matter today. Representing the state were Additional Attorney Generals Mohammad Abdul Jabber Bhuiyan, Mohammad Arshadur Rouf, and Aneek Rushd Haque, along with Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate SM Shahjahan and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir represented the defense.
This follows the apex court's decision on June 1, 2025, to grant a leave to appeal petition against the High Court's judgment, which had overturned the lower court's convictions in the two cases. The High Court had delivered its verdict on December 1, 2024, nullifying the lower court's decision, after reviewing the death references, criminal, and jail appeals filed in relation to the cases.
The High Court, in its identical short judgments pronounced by Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain, stated that the lower court trial was conducted improperly and not in accordance with the law. The court noted that no eyewitnesses were examined, and the witnesses who were called only had second-hand knowledge of the incident, as explained by defense counsel Advocate Shishir Manir.
Advocate Manir also highlighted that the High Court found the lower court's judgment was largely based on the confessional statement of Mufti Abdul Hannan, which was deemed to have no evidential value as it was allegedly obtained under duress.
The grenade attack on the Awami League rally on August 21, 2004, resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people and left many others injured.