5 to die in Ctg mass killing case

Five people have been awarded with death penalty in Chattogram mass killing case.

Police firing on the motorcade of then opposition leader and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina on her way to a grand rally at Lal Dighi Maidan in the port city as part of movement against the autocrat government of Hussain Muhammed Ershad on January 24 in 1988 left a total of 24 people killed and 200 others injured.

Acting judge of Chattogram District and Sessions Judge Court Md Ismail Hossain handed down the verdict on Monday afternoon. The court also fined each convict Tk 50,000.

The judgment in the case for the mass killing has been announced after long 32 years of the carnage.

The convicts are former police habildar Prodip Barua, constables Momtaj Uddin, Mostafijur Rahman and Md Abdullah and Inspector Gopal Mondal (GC) Mondal. Among them, GC Mondal is now absconding.

Three other accused including former CMP Commissioner Mirza Rakubul Huda have died.

The court recorded testimonies of a total of 53 witnesses.

After the end of the Ershad regime, Advocate Shahidul Huda filed a case with the Court of Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate on March 5, 1992, making then CMP Commissioner Mirza Rakubul Huda and others accused.

But, then BNP government did not give approval to continue the case as the accused were government employees.

So, the court rejected the case at that time. Later the complainant filed a review petition with the High Court and the court accepted the case.

The court also directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the case.

However, the case was restarted during the 1996-2001 regime of Awami League.

The CID submitted a charge sheet on January 12 in 1997 accusing Mirza Rakubul Huda and others.

 

Chattogram/Rezaul/Mukul