Dhaka, Apr 27 (V7N) — The Appellate Division has set May 4 for the hearing of the state's appeal against the acquittal of all the accused, including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, in the August 21 grenade attack case.

The state's leave to appeal against the High Court verdict was initially on the agenda for hearing on Sunday (April 27). However, the hearing was postponed due to the pending reconstitution of the Appellate Division bench.

On January 12, the High Court acquitted several high-profile accused, including Tarique Rahman, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, who had been sentenced to death, by the trial court. In its observations, the High Court stated that the trial court’s verdict was "illegal" and delivered in an "illegal manner." The state subsequently filed a leave to appeal against the High Court decision.

Previously, on October 10, 2018, the trial court sentenced former State Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar, former Deputy Minister Abdus Salam Pintu, and 19 others to death for their involvement in the grenade attack and murder case. It also sentenced Tarique Rahman, former political secretary to Khaleda Zia Haris Chowdhury, and BNP leader Kazi Shah Moazzem Hossain Kaikobad to life imprisonment.

Following the trial court’s verdict, on November 27, 2018, the case documents were sent to the High Court’s Death Reference Branch for further proceedings.

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