Dhaka: The state has filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court judgment that acquitted all the individuals previously convicted by a lower court in the murder and explosives substances act cases related to the grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the matter was listed as the 24th item on today’s cause list for a four-member Appellate Division bench, presided over by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed. The High Court had previously issued its verdict on December 1, 2024, overturning the lower court’s decision in these cases. This verdict followed a thorough review of the death references, criminal, and jail appeals filed in connection to the cases.
The High Court bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered identical short judgments, stating, “Death Reference is rejected, all appeals are allowed, all rules are absolute.” The court noted that the trial conducted by the lower court was deemed illegal, as it was not conducted in accordance with the law. Advocate Shishir Manir, representing the defense, highlighted that no eyewitnesses were examined during the trial; instead, the witnesses who were examined only had second-hand knowledge of the incident.
Advocate Manir also mentioned that the court criticized the lower court for basing its judgment on the confessional statement of Mufti Abdul Hannan, which was determined to lack evidential value due to it being obtained under duress. The grenade attack resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people and injured many others on that tragic day in August 2004.