Tarique deserves death penalty: Law Minister

FT ONLINE

Expressing satisfaction over the verdict in the cases regarding August 21, 2004 grenade attack, Law Minister Anisul Huq said Tarique Rahman was the main hero (mastermind) behind the attack and he deserves death penalty.

Asked about whether he is satisfied with the verdict, he said at his secretariat office, “We are satisfied with the verdict. But the main hero (mastermind) behind the attack was Begum Khaleda Zia’s eldest son Tarique Rahman and he deserves death penalty.”

“But, he (Tarique) was given life imprisonment. After through scrutiny of the verdict, we will file appeal with the higher court for enhancement of his punishment,” he continued.

Coming down heavily on BNP for not believing in rule of law, he said, “The Awami League government under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina has been relentlessly working to establish the rule of law with holding trail of all the cases. But, the BNP has destroyed the rule of law with not holding trial in such cases.”

Referring to the verdict in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack, the law minister said, “I have so far knew the court sentenced death penalty to 19 people (including then BNP’s state minister Lutfuzzaman Babar and deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu) and life term imprisonment to 19 others (including BNP’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman and political adviser of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia).”

“It was quite satisfactory as all of the accused of the cases had been sentenced in the verdict,” he added.

Prosecution to give formal reaction after verdict’s scrutiny

The prosecution sides will give their formal reaction after conducting a thorough scrutiny of the verdict in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases.

“Sixteen crore people of the country had been waiting for the verdict for long four years and the nation freed from another stigma with delivering verdict today,” said Chief Persecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman while delivering his reaction over the verdict to newsmen on the court premises.

But, he denied commenting whether they are satisfied or not with the verdict, saying, “We don’t say anything about it just now as the formal reaction will be made public after conducting a thorough scrutiny of the verdict. If necessary, we will go to the higher court for expansion of sentences (of some accused).”

Quoting the court observation over the attack, he also said, “The court in its observation said that the August 21, 2004 grenade attack was carried out mainly to eliminate the Awami League leadership likewise the August 15, 1975 barbaric attack which was targeted to kill Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members.”

In his reaction immediately, another prosecutor in the case, Advocate Moshrraf Hossain Kazal has sounded the same saying, “BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman was sentenced to life time imprisonment in both the murder and explosives cases. But, he and some others deserved death penalty as he had masterminded the attack. After scrutnising the verdict, we will file appeal with the High Court for extension of his punishment.”

But, he said, “I am happy as all the accused in the grenade attack cases were awarded punishment. Death penalty was given to nineteen accused, including then State Minister Lutfuzzaman Babar and Deputy Minister Abdus Salam Pintu, and life time imprisonment to 19 others, including Haris Chowdhury, political adviser of the then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.”