Attack on Hasina’s Train: 8 surrender

Pabna Correspondent: Eight fugitive convicts who sentenced in a case over the attack on a train carrying the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in Pabna’s Ishwardi surrendered. Later, they were sent to jail.

The convicts appeared before the additional district and sessions judge court in Pabna and sought bails in the case on Sunday noon.

But, acting judge of the court Rustam Ali rejected bail pleas and ordered to send them to jail.

Of the eight convicts, five were sentenced to life-term while three for 10 years. With this, a total of 40 convicts sent to jail. Still, other seven convicts were fugitive in the case.

The convicts who surrendered were known as Amirul Islam alias Amin, son of Asir Uddin of Pashchim Tengrikhali Piarikhali village of Ishwardi, Robi, son of late Abdul Gafur of Pashchimtengir Blackpara, Azad Hossain alias Khokon, son of Piar Ali, Mamun, son of Jalal of Piarkhali, Abdul Kalam, son of late Jayen Uddin of Juktitola village.

They all were sentenced for life-term.

Other surrendered convicts who were sentenced for 10 years were known as Chad Ali, son of Jamat Ali Sarkar of Charmirkamari, son of Jamaat Ali Sarkar, Rono, son of Mohsin Riaz of Pashchimtengri Babupara,  Humayun Kabir alias Dulal, son of Motiar Rahman of Charsahapur village.

On September 23, 1994, Hasina, now the prime minister, was travelling from Khulna to Saidpur by train and addressed several rallies at different railway stations on the way.

As the train reached Paksey station in Ishwardi, it came under attack. Crude bombs were hurled and shots fired. The attack continued till the train reached Ishwardi station. Many were injured while the AL president was unhurt.

Following the attack, Nazrul Islam, the then officer-in-charge of Ishwardi General Railway Police Station, filed a case against five members of the BNP and its associate bodies.

risingbd/Dhaka/July 14, 2019/Shahin Rahman/AKA