A Dhaka court has sentenced 11 people to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and acquitted one in two cases filed against leaders and activists of Freedom Party over an attempt to murder Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 28 years ago.
The Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahidul Kabir pronounced the verdict in presence of nine accused at the courtroomon Sunday.
The court also fined each of the convicts Tk 20,000 and warned them of serving six months more in jail in case they fail to pay the fines.
Twelve prosecution witnesses, including the complainant and investigation officer of the case, have given their statements resulting in the case verdict.
On the night of Aug 10, 1989, attackers threw bombs and fired at the house of Hasina at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital Dhaka, where she was living.
A police constable at the residence, Zahurul Islam, filed two cases – one for plotting to kill Hasina and another for hurling bombs – with Dhanmondi Police Station.
According to the case statement, the attackers left the scene chanting slogans like 'Col Faruque-Rashid Zindabad (Long live Faruque-Rashid)'
Eight years later in 1997, investigators pressed charges against 12 people, including Freedom Party leaders, in court. Twelve years later in 2009, the court framed charges against them.