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Aug 21 Attack Cases

Govt to appoint 15 lawyers to defend fugitives

Chaitanya Chandra Halder
The government has decided to appoint 15 state lawyers to defend BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman andl4other fugitives in their absence in connection with the August 21 grenade attack cases.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday summoned Awami League leader and former state minister for planning Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir to appear before it on March 28 to give his deposition about the attack.
The persons who will get state defence are Tarique Rahman, Abul Harris Chowdhury, former political secretary to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, BNP lawmaker Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mohammad Hanif, owner of HanifParibahan, former deputy minister Abdul Salam Pintu's brothers and also Harkatul Jihad (Huji) leaders MaulanaTajuddin and Babu alias Ratul Babu.
Other fugitive accused are Huji leaders Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Maulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin and his brother Mahibul Muttakin, Maulana Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howlader, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman.
All the accused were charged with conspiracy and
approving the plan of attack executed by Huji men and their accomplices. They were also charged with grievous hurt, attempt to murder and murder.
The punishment of the offences is death penalty.
According to the provisions, if the punishment in a case filed against anyone is the death penalty and if the person is absconding, a state defence lawyer must be appointed in his absence.
Earlier, the court asked the Dhaka district magistrate to send a list of state defence lawyers who would defend Tarique and 14 oth-
ers in their absence.
Sources say advocate Abul Kalam Mohammad Akhter Hossain is likely to defend Tarique Rahman, while advocate FM Ashraf-U1 Alam is likely to defend Abul Harris Chowdhury.
The names of other lawyers could not be known immediately.
Earlier on March 18, Judge Shahed Nuruddin of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 framed charges against Tarique and 29 others included in the supplementary charge sheets of the cases.
The same court also rejected a petition submitted by advocate Abdur Rezak
Khan to be a lawyer to defend Tarique in his absence.
Tarique Rahman is now living in London, Harris in Iran andTajuddin in Pakistan, but the whereabouts of the others could not be known.
Referring to the previous indictment on October 29, 2008, the court said it would remain valid.
In 2008, the Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges against Pintu and 21 Huji men, including the militant kingpin Mufti Abdul Hannan.
On July 3 last year, the names of 30 more people were included in the supplementary charge sheet.