Efforts are on to arrest fugitive accused Tarique, 14 others, PM tells JS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Zia and 14 other convicts in the 21 August, 2004 grenade attack case are fugitives.

“Thirty four convicts were arrested while 15 others, including Tarique Rahman alias Tarique Zia are fugitives out of 49,” she told the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) while replying to a question of AL lawmaker Farida Yasmin (Women Seat-35) during the question-answer session.

The question-answer session slated for the prime minister was tabled at the beginning of the day’s proceedings with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Leader of the House, said a total of 49 accused got various sentences that include capital punishment and life-term in the trial of the grenade attack case in Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal No. 1 on 10 October, 2018.

“Of the convicts, 19 were sentenced to death, 19 others to life imprisonment while the rest 11 to various jail terms,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said that Interpol served red notices on convicted accused Maulana Tajuddin, Harris Chowdhury and Ratul Ahmed Babu alias Ratul Babu who are absconding abroad.

“Efforts are on to arrest the fugitive accused,” she added.

Two cases - one under penal code and another under explosives substances law - were filed over the deadly grenade attacks on an anti-terrorism rally of the then opposition Awami League in the capital city’s Bangabandhu Avenue on 21 August, 2004.