PM Hasina: Tarique, 14 other convicts in grenade attack case are fugitives

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that 15 convicts in the August 21 grenade attack case, including BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, have been absconding.

“Out of the 49 convicts, 34 had been arrested. Fifteen convicts including Tarique Rahman alias Tarqiue Zia are currently fugitives,” she said.

The prime minister said this while replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Farida Yasmin (Women Seat-35) during the question-answer session.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury tabled the question-answer session in the beginning of the day’s sitting of the Parliament, which started around 4pm.

The premier said a total of 49 accused were sentenced in the trial of the grenade attack case as the judge of Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal No-1 passed the judgment on October 10, 2018.

“Among the convicts, 19 were sentenced to death, while 19 others to life imprisonment and the rest 11 ones to various jail terms,” she added.

She said Interpol issued red notices against accused Maulana Tajuddin, Harris Chowdhury and Ratul Ahmed Babu alias Ratul Babu who are absconding abroad. Efforts are on to arrest the convicted fugitives.

Two cases — one under the penal code and another under Explosives Substances law – were lodged over the grenade attack on an anti-terrorism rally arranged by Awami League in the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.

Hasina, then opposition leader, survived the gruesome attack, but it left 24 people dead and over 500 injured.