Charges pressed against 4 over bomb attack on Helal’s rally

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has pressed charges against four people in two cases filed in connection with the bomb attack on Awami League leader Sheikh Helal’s election rally in Mollahat upazila in 2001.

Court police sub-inspector Mohammad Yunus Ali placed two charge sheets in the two cases before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Monday.

After further investigation, the CID submitted the chargesheets against the four dropping the names of two other accused -- Rakib Hasan and Abu Taleb -- as they have died during the trial proceedings.

The charge sheeted accused are banned militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al-Islami (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, local BNP leader Shikdar Badshah Miah, Zillur Rahman alias Zilu Mollah and Anisuzzaman alias Anis. Of them, Mufti Hannan and Zilu are in jail now.

Charges were pressed against them in both the cases -- one for murder and the other under the Explosive Substances Act.

On 23 September 2001, nine people were killed and 50 others injured in a bomb attack on election rally of Sheikh Helal at Mollahat Khalilur Rahman College ground.

Two cases were filed against 169 people in this connection.

After investigation, the CID submitted final report to the court on December 7, 2003.

In 2009, the Home Ministry took steps for reinvestigation of the cases. On August 13, 2013, the then investigation officer of CID submitted two chargesheets against six people.

In January this year, the Session’s Judge Court asked the CID to conduct further investigation into incident.