Rajshahi: Four leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were released from Rajshahi jail today after being acquitted by the High Court. The leaders, Mukhlesur Rahman alias Bablu, KM Akhtaruzzaman, Azizur Rahman alias Shaheen, and Shamsul Alam, were greeted by local BNP leaders and activists with flowers upon their release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the High Court recently acquitted the four leaders of charges related to an attempted assassination of Sheikh Hasina. The charges stemmed from an incident on September 23, 1994, at Ishwardi Rail Station, where an attack was allegedly carried out on Sheikh Hasina, who was traveling from Khulna to Syedpur via Ishwardi. A case was initially filed by the Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi Railway (GRP) Police Station against seven individuals, including Ishwardi Municipality BNP General Secretary Zakaria Pintu. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) later submitted a charge sheet implicating 52 people.
On July 3, 2019, Pabna Additional District and Sessions Judge Rostam Ali sentenced nine individuals, including the recently released leaders, to death. Additionally, 25 other defendants received life imprisonment, while 13 others were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The court also imposed fines on the convicted individuals, with life-term convicts fined Tk 3 lakh and the 10-year convicts fined Tk 1 lakh each.
Following the trial court’s verdict, the death reference for the convicts was sent to the High Court. After reviewing the death reference and appeals filed by the defendants, the High Court acquitted the four leaders on February 5, leading to their eventual release from Rajshahi jail.