Bangladesh HC acquits Zia’s son in 2004 grenade attack cases

DHAKA: Bangladesh high court on Sunday acquitted all the accused in the Aug 21, 2004, grenade attack cases, including BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman and former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar.

The ruling has sparked renewed hope among BNP supporters for Rahman's return from London after overcoming remaining legal issues.

Rahman is former PM Khaleda Zia's son and could become Bangladesh's next PM if Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is voted into power.

The 2004 attack targeted an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue. The Awami League claims that the primary target was Sheikh Hasina, who was the leader of the opposition at the time, under the BNP-Jamaat alliance govt.

The attack claimed the lives of at least 24 people, including Awami League's women's affairs secretary Ivy Rahman, who was also the wife of late President Zillur Rahman. Over 300 others were injured, and Hasina, though surviving the attack, suffered permanent hearing impairment.

The high court also annulled a lower court's verdict, which had convicted 49 individuals in connection with the attack. The court declared the trial court's 2018 decision illegal, noting it had been delivered in an improper manner.

The lower court's conviction had relied on the confessional statement of Mufti Abdul Hannan, an accused who was later executed in a separate matter. The HC ruled that his testimony lacked evidential value, as it had been obtained under duress and wasn't properly examined by the magistrate.

BNP hailed the move and accused Awami League of using state power to unjustly convict Rahman and other leaders.