Babar claims no complicity with grenade attack

Lutfozzaman Babar, who was state minister for home affairs during the 2004 grenade attack, claimed he was in no way involved in the attack on the Bangladesh Awami League rally.

US media outlet abc News gave Babar’s reaction after a tribunal’s verdict that sentenced 19 including himself to death.

“Allah knows everything. I had no complicity with the attack,” Babar, who was then in charge of the home ministry, was quoted to have said.

Media professionals from home and abroad were deployed at the court premises and in surrounding areas in Old Dhaka, when judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-5, handed down the judgement on Wednesday noon.

A similar reaction came from the wife of retired brigadier general Abdur Rahim, who too has been convicted of death penalty.

Shirin Rahman outright rejected the judgement, terming her husband innocent. Abdur Rahim was director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI) during the time of the attack.

Talking to newsmen, Shirin Rahman said they would challenge the verdict by filing appeal petition with the High Court.

“My husband is innocent. He was not involved in that [the grenade attack]. There’re no witnesses against him. We’ll appeal against the verdict,” she said.

Shirin further alleged that her husband was made accused in the case only because he was the DG of NSI at that time.

Twenty two people including the AL secretary for women’s affairs Ivy Rahman were killed in the attack, which prosecution claimed was aimed at Sheikh Hasina, then opposition leader.