Suranjit assassination attempt case: JMB militant gets death sentence; minister, whip among 9 acquitted

The court has announced the verdict in the much-discussed grenade attack case filed on charges of attempting to assassinate former minister and late Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta. In this verdict, given after a long 22 years, 9 people including Labor and Employment and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Jatiya Sangsad Whip GK Gaus and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar have been acquitted.

Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Swapan Kumar Roy announced the verdict on Thursday (June 25).

State lawyer Advocate Abul Hossain said that out of the 12 accused in the case, Syed Naeem Ahmed Arif alias Nimu, a member of the banned militant organization JMB, has been sentenced to death.

He said that the death sentence of the other two accused in this case, JMB leaders Mufti Hannan and Bipul, has already been executed in another case.

According to court sources, 67 out of a total of 123 witnesses have testified in the case. The court gave this verdict after a long hearing and argument.

Those acquitted include Maulana Taj Uddin, JMB leader Muhibullah alias Mofizur Rahman, Mufti Moin Uddin alias Abu Jandal, Masum Billah, Khwaja Md. Abdul Majed Bhat alias Yusuf Bhat and Naziur Rahman Naju, among others.

Earlier, the presentation of arguments in the case ended in April this year. On April 7, the court took statements on the charges brought against the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. At that time, Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Whip GK Gaus and Lutfuzzaman Babar appeared in the court and claimed their innocence and prayed for acquittal.

They were also present in court on the day of the verdict.

According to the case file, on June 21, 2004, a grenade attack took place at a political rally in Dirai Bazar, Sunamganj. The chief guest at the meeting was then Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta. A Jubo League leader was killed and at least 29 people were injured in the attack.

After the incident, the then Sub-Inspector (SI) of Dirai Police Station Helal Uddin filed a case against unknown persons. Investigation revealed that the attack was carried out with the intention of killing Suranjit Sengupta.

After a long investigation, charges were framed against 12 people including Ariful Haque Chowdhury, GK Gaus, Lutfozzaman Babar in two separate cases under the Murder and Explosives Acts on October 22, 2020.