Trial of the Ramna Batamul blast case began at a Dhaka court yesterday, eight years after the blasts that left ten people dead and scores injured.
On the first day, Judge ANM Bashir Ullah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court recorded the statement of officer-in-charge (OC) of Laksam Kabir Hossain, complainant of the case. Kabir was later cross-examined by defence lawyers.
After recording his statement, the court fixed today for next hearing of the case.
The same court had earlier recorded statements of two witnesses, including complainant of the case filed for murders.
The blast had taken place at Ramna Batamul during Pahela Baishakh celebrations on April 14 in 2001. Following the carnage, two cases -- one for murder and another for possession and use of explosive substances -- were filed with Ramna Police Station.
In his deposition, Kabir Hossain told the court that he was a Sub-Inspector (SI) at Ramna police on April 14, 2001. He was asked to perform his duties at Ramna Batamul where Pahela Baishakh celebrations were being held on that day. At about 8:15am, a bomb exploded around 15 to 20 yards away from the stage. He then rushed to the scene and found seven people dead on the spot and a number of others injured.
Another bomb went off there 10 to 15 minutes after the first explosion, he said.
Kabir said he then informed his higher authorities of the blasts over wireless and they rushed to the scene. He along with other police official Amal Chandra Chanda, complainant of the case, filed for murders, took the injured persons to medical for treatment.
The injured are Amin Uddin, Omar Faruque, Jahangir, Rafiqul Islam, Mamun, Swapan Kumar Das, Ashim, Afzal, Ibrahim Khalil, Reza and Mahmudul Karim.
During yesterday's hearing, Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and four others, now in jail custody, were produced before the court. Another accused Maulana Akbar Hossain, now on a High Court bail, was also present in the court.
Maulana Tajuddin, younger brother of former deputy minister and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, and seven other accused have been at large since the filing of the cases.