Online Desk: High Court has granted bail to six accused convicted by a lower court for four years in a case filed over attack on the convoy of then opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kalaroa in Satkhira. A High Court bench comprising Justice Md Habibul Ghani and Justice Ahmed Sohel granted them one year’s bail on Wednesday. Those who got bail were Golam Rasul, Jahurul Islam, Towfiqur Rahman Sanju, Sahabuddin, Abdul Rakib Molla and Monirul Islam.

Advocate Gazi Md Mohsin and Advocate Shahanara Parvin Bakul held a hearing on behalf of the accused, while the state was represented by additional attorney general SM Munir and deputy attorney general Amit Talukder. On August 30, 2002, the then opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to Satkhira Sadar Hospital with her party central leaders and activists to visit the rape survivor wife of a freedom fighter.

Later, at around 12 noon, she left for Jessore via Kalaroa with her tour companions. When the convoy reached the Upazila BNP office at Kalaroa Bazar on Jashore-Satkhira road, some people attacked her car. Severeal people including formar MP Mujibur Rahman were injured in the attack. Later, Kolaroa Upazila Muktojoddha commander Moslem Uddin filed an attempt to murder case against the attackers.

Subsequently, Senior District Sessions Judge Sheikh Mofizur Rahman pronounced the verdict in the cases on February  last. According to the details of the case, on February 4, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Satkhira sentenced all 50 accused to different terms in the case relating to the attack on the convoy of Sheikh Hasina. Enraged by the verdict, the convicts filed a criminal appeal case with the District Sessions Judge Court. At the same time, the convicts also applied for bail in the District Sessions Judge Court, which were rejected. They then applied for bail in the High Court.

The High Court also rejected their bail pleas and directed the Sessions Judge Court to dispose of their criminal appeal case by September 25. Following that order, the four appeal cases were recently heard in the Sessions Judge’s Court in the fastest possible time and verdicts were pronounced in three appeals except for that of Adv Abdus Sattar.

A third hearing date has been fixed for Adv Abdus Sattar’s appeal case, No 27/21 as well, his lawyer said. The verdicts were announced within the September 25 deadline set by the High Court for the disposal of these appeal cases.