August 21 Grenade Attack: Appeal hearing against Tarique, Babar's acquittal Tuesday

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday on the government’s leave-to-appeal petitions challenging the acquittals of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar in the August 21 grenade attack cases.

Tarique was sentenced to life imprisonment and Babar to death by the trial court for their roles in the 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka that left 24 dead and over 300 injured. The High Court later overturned the verdicts, acquitting both along with several other accused, prompting the state to move for appeals.

On Monday, a bench led by Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam fixed the hearing date after the petitions appeared as the first item on the day’s cause list.

Earlier, on May 15, a six-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed adjourned the hearing until May 26. However, due to the Chief Justice’s absence on Monday, the court deferred proceedings to the following day.

Senior advocate S.M. Shahjahan appeared for the defence and confirmed the postponement. “The leave-to-appeal petitions are under review. Since the Chief Justice was not in court today, the hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow,” he told reporters.

The August 21 grenade attack, one of the deadliest political assaults in Bangladesh’s history, targeted an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue. The attack killed 24 people and injured more than 300.