A trial court will deliver the verdict on October 30 in the country’s largest ever killing case in connection with BDR carnage at Pilkhana in February 2009.
After completing the arguments from both the prosecution and defence, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka today set the date for the judgment.
A number of 846 people including BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, ward Awami League leader Torab Ali Akand and BDR Deputy Assistant Director Mohammad Towhidul Islam are the accused in the case. Of the accused, 23 are civilians, Sheikh Baharul Islam, a prosecutor, told The Daily Star.
He said 20 of the accused are on the run.
During the trial, the court set up at a makeshift building in the old part of the city recorded the statements of 654 out of 1345 prosecution witnesses.
Considering the number of accused and security of the court the government has built a special one-storey tin-shed building near the Dhaka Central Jail at Bakshi Bazar. Around one thousand members from different law-enforcement and intelligence agencies were on hand to ensure security.
Seventy-four people including 57 army officers were killed in the bloody mutiny at the border force’s headquarters on February 25-26 in 2009.
The criminal case was initially filed with Lalbagh Police Station for murder, looting, arson, and sedition, which was subsequently transferred to New Market Police Station.
During investigation, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested a total of 2,307 people in connection with the mutiny — 2,282 of them were taken on remand, and 543 gave confessional statements.
On January 5, 2011, the court took into cognisance charges of the killing case and later framed charges against 850 accused.
The trial of another case filed under the explosive substances act in connection with the mutiny is going on the same court. The number of accused in the case is 808.
Source: The Daily Star