Bangladesh postpones verdict on 846 soldiers over 2009 mutiny
1 Nov 2013 4:40 AM IST
‘The date for delivering the verdict in the BDR mutiny carnage case has been shifted from today to November 5,’ Judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman of Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court said.
He said that some extra days were required for delivering the verdict as the judgement could not be prepared within the stipulated time.
The fate of the soldiers belonging to the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) hinges on the verdict as they face death penalty for killing 74 people. Among the dead was BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed and 56 other army officers.
‘It is possibly one of the biggest criminal trial in the world in terms of the number of accused, witnesses testified and the people killed...it is unique they got normal trial under the ordinary law of the country,’ Anisul Huq, chief prosecutor of the case, said.
‘I hope the justice will be properly meted out when the judgement will be delivered,’ he said.
Out of the over 1300 witnesses that were listed, 655 prosecution and 27 defence witnesses testified before the court which earlier on 20 October wrapped up the trial of the 846 rebel soldiers and several civilians who, if found guilty, could be handed down death penalty for the carnage in 2009.
Then sessions Judge Johurul Haque began the trial proceedings on 5 January 2011, against the ex-soldiers of BDR, which subsequently was renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) under a massive reconstruction campaign to overcome the mutiny stigma.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during a programme at her official Ganobhaban residence, said such a big case had never been filed ever in the history for which the judge might have required some extra time to write the verdict as ‘the gravity of the offence was also very serious’.
‘(I hope) the verdict will be delivered soon,’ she said.
He said that some extra days were required for delivering the verdict as the judgement could not be prepared within the stipulated time.
The fate of the soldiers belonging to the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) hinges on the verdict as they face death penalty for killing 74 people. Among the dead was BDR chief Major General Shakil Ahmed and 56 other army officers.
‘It is possibly one of the biggest criminal trial in the world in terms of the number of accused, witnesses testified and the people killed...it is unique they got normal trial under the ordinary law of the country,’ Anisul Huq, chief prosecutor of the case, said.
‘I hope the justice will be properly meted out when the judgement will be delivered,’ he said.
Out of the over 1300 witnesses that were listed, 655 prosecution and 27 defence witnesses testified before the court which earlier on 20 October wrapped up the trial of the 846 rebel soldiers and several civilians who, if found guilty, could be handed down death penalty for the carnage in 2009.
Then sessions Judge Johurul Haque began the trial proceedings on 5 January 2011, against the ex-soldiers of BDR, which subsequently was renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) under a massive reconstruction campaign to overcome the mutiny stigma.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during a programme at her official Ganobhaban residence, said such a big case had never been filed ever in the history for which the judge might have required some extra time to write the verdict as ‘the gravity of the offence was also very serious’.
‘(I hope) the verdict will be delivered soon,’ she said.
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