Dhaka, Mar 19 (V7N) – The state has filed an appeal against the acquittal of all accused, including BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, in the infamous August 21 grenade attack case. This legal move comes after the High Court acquitted the accused on January 12, overturning the earlier verdict of the trial court.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the appeal has been formally submitted, and the matter has been added to the agenda of the Appellate Division for further proceedings. Tarique Rahman, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and Lutfuzzaman Babar, who faced a death sentence, were among those acquitted by the High Court.

The High Court's decision came after it declared that the trial in the case was illegal and did not stand up to legal scrutiny. The court specifically pointed out that the charge sheet used in the lower court trial was not legally acceptable. In its ruling, the High Court stated that the charge sheet filed in the case lacked proper legal foundation, making the trial process invalid.

The August 21 grenade attack took place in 2004 during an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue, where Sheikh Hasina, the then-opposition leader and current Prime Minister, narrowly escaped the attack. Tragically, 24 people, including Awami League Women's Affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman, lost their lives, and over 300 others were injured.

The case was filed on August 22, 2004, by Sub-Inspector Faruk Ahmed of Motijheel Police Station. After years of investigation, a charge sheet was filed in 2008 during the caretaker government, naming several individuals, including BNP leaders Abdus Salam Pintu, Maulana Tajuddin, and HuJI leader Mufti Abdul Hannan. Further investigations followed after the Awami League government came into power in 2009, resulting in additional charges and the indictment of 52 individuals.

The case is one of the most high-profile incidents in Bangladesh's political history, with political implications continuing to resonate today. Despite the High Court's ruling, the appeal and the ongoing legal proceedings have heightened political tension, especially as Tarique Rahman and Lutfuzzaman Babar remain at the center of this controversial case.

The Appellate Division's upcoming ruling will be closely watched as it could have significant implications for the future of the case and the political landscape ahead of the 13th National Parliament elections.

END/MSS/AJ