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According to the source, the HC bench judges are busy with urgent tasks, including handling cases and writing judgements and orders.

Defence lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir said the trial court had convicted 14 accused. Of them, eight were sentenced to death and six to life imprisonment.

“The HC commuted the sentences of seven death-row convicts. One of them has been given life imprisonment, while the remaining six were sentenced to 10 years in prison,” he said.

“Accused Mawlana Akbar and Mawlana Abu Taher were released based on a short order of the HC judgement, as their sentences have already been served. Convicts Arif Hasan Sumon, Mawlana Abdul Hai, Mawlana Shofiqur Rahman, Mawlana Sabbir Shahadat Ullah Zuel, and Hafez Jahangir are in jail in connection with the CPB bomb blast case,” he added.

Contacted, Deputy Attorney General Sultana Akter Rubi, who represented the state during the hearing, said she had submitted a note to the Attorney General’s Office suggesting an appeal before the Appellate Division to uphold the trial court verdict.

She added that the AG’s office would decide on filing an appeal after receiving the full text of the HC judgement.

On April 14, 2001, two bombs exploded during Pahela Baishakh celebrations organised by Chhayanaut at Ramna Batamul, killing 10 people and injuring several others.

Following the incident, two cases were filed—one for murder and another under the Explosive Substances Act.

On June 23, 2014, a Dhaka court sentenced eight Huji members to death for their roles in the attack: Mufti Abdul Hannan, Mawlana Akbar Hossain alias Helaluddin, Mawlana Mohammad Tajuddin, Hafez Jahangir Alam Badar, Mawlana Abu Bakar alias Selim Hawlader, Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye, and Arif Hasan Suman.

Six others—Mawlana Abu Taher, Mawlana Sabbir alias Abdul Hannan, Mawlana Yahiya, Mawlana Shawkat Osman, Mawlana Abdur Rouf, and Shahadat Ullah—were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Of them, Mawlana Yahiya and Mawlana Abdur Rouf have died in jail, while Mufti Abdul Hannan was executed on April 13, 2017, at Kashimpur High Security Prison in a separate case over a grenade attack on then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet on May 21, 2004.