Tarique Rahman acquitted in another case in Gazipur

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been acquitted in a case filed under the Explosives Act in Gazipur, dating back 10 years. Along with him, Gazipur Metropolitan Jubo Dal member secretary Mahmud Hasan and 60 leaders and activists from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were also acquitted in the same case.

The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Rehana Akhter, judge of Gazipur Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-1. Tarique Rahman was acquitted in three separate cases filed in different police stations in Gazipur.

According to court sources, the case was originally filed on 21 February 2015 by Sub-Inspector (SI) Syed Abul Hashem of Joydebpur Police Station, accusing individuals of throwing petrol bombs at a bus and engaging in sabotage.

Although Tarique Rahman was not named in the initial case statement, he was later included as an accused in the charge sheet.

Eight witnesses testified in the case. After a prolonged 10-year legal process, the judge announced the verdict on Thursday.

According to the charges, during the nationwide blockade, 50-60 leaders and activists of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and its student wing, Chhatra Shibir, threw a petrol bomb at a passenger bus in front of Kuliarchar Garments in the Signboard area, under the jurisdiction of the then Joydebpur Police Station. The act was reportedly carried out with the intent to create chaos, resulting in the bus catching fire.

The defence lawyers—Md Shahiduzzaman, Mostafa Kamal, Siddiqur Rahman, Zakirul Islam, Sirajul Islam, Nasir Uddin, Anwar Hossain, and others—were present at the court hearing.

Lawyer Md Shahiduzzaman stated that Tarique Rahman’s name was not initially included in the case statement. He argued that Tarique Rahman was added to the charge sheet as a result of political harassment, orchestrated on the advice of Awami League leaders, including former ministers AKM Mozammel Haque, Zahid Ahsan, and city Awami League President Azmat Ullah Khan.