19 sentenced to death for 21 Aug attack

A Speedy Trial Tribunal-5 on Wednesady sentenced 19 to death and 19 others to life over the 21 August grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka in 2004.

The tribunal set up at Nazimuddin Road in Old Dhaka also awarded the rest 11 accused for different terms of jail in two cases.

Justice Shahed Nur Uddin from special judge court announced the verdict in the afternoon.

Former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu have been sentenced to death.

Among the 19, two are fugitives-militant leader Maulana Md Tajuddin who is also brother of Abdus Salam Pintu, and Hanif Paribahan owner Md Hanif.

The 17 convicts are: Lutfozzaman Babar, Abdus Salam Pintu, former DGFI director general and also retired major general Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, former NSI director general and also retired brigadier Abdur Rahim, Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam, Md Abdul Mazed Bhat alias Md Yousuf Bhat, Abdul Malek alias Golam Mohammad alias GM, Maulana Shawkat Hossain alias Sheikh Farid, Mahibullah alias Mafijur Rahman alias Ovi, Maulana Abu Sayeed alias Jafar, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul, Md Jahangir Alam, Hafiz Maulana Abu Taher, Hossain Ahmed Tamim, Main Uddin Sheikh alias Mufti Main alias Khajwa alias Abu Jandal alias Masum Billha, Md Rafiqul Iqbal Islam alias Sabuj alias Khalid Saifullah alias Shamim alias Rashed, and Md Ujjal alias Ratan.

The gruesome grenade attack killed 22 and wounded several hundreds of Awami League men while party president Sheikh Hasina survived it.