The army officers directly involved in the killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family have been tried and convicted, but the "real plotters" remain untraced, says Abdul Kader Siddique, a leader o ...
Judgement Day
The nation awaits the Supreme Court's verdict on the Bangabandhu murder case appeals at 11am on Thursday, 34 long years after the bloody events of Aug 15 1975. What happens next?
Published : 18 Nov 2009, 09:35 AM
Updated : 18 Nov 2009, 09:35 AM
Dhaka, Nov 18 (bdnews24.com) – The nation awaits the Supreme Court's verdict on the Bangabandhu murder case appeals at 11am on Thursday, 34 long years after the bloody events of Aug 15 1975.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the slain leader, curtailing a visit to Italy is returning Thursday morning for the historic verdict.
A newly formed Appellate Division bench began hearing appeals on Oct 5 of five former army officers sentenced to death for the murder of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 16 others, including wife and three sons.
The apex court set the final judgement day on Nov 12 after 29 days of hearing the appeals.
Five condemned men will have their death sentences upheld or commuted by the highest appeals court in the country.
The five-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Justice Mohammed Tafazzal Islam, will hand down the verdict in the courtroom of the chief justice.
Hearing of the appeal stands at the top of Thursday's cause-list.
An official of the Supreme Court told bdnews24.com the proceedings will start in Courtroom 1, that of the chief justice, of the Appellate Division at 11am.
Since chief justice MM Ruhul Amin is on leave, justice Islam will take his place on Thursday.
Other members of the bench are justices Mohammed Abdul Aziz, BK Das, Mohammed Mozammel Hossain and Surendra Kumar Sinha.
"The nation is waiting for the verdict," attorney general Mahbubey Alam told reporters on Wednesday.
One of the counsels for the prosecution, Yousuf Hossain Humayun, told bdnews24.com, "We're expecting to get justice. The nation will be free from darkness with the final verdict."
City 'on alert'
All security has been beefed up around the court premises ahead of the verdict of the politically sensitive case.
Security for the justices was tightened earlier, after the attorney general received a death threat.
On Thursday, some 592 police members have been added to the regular patrol and security personnel at the High Court premises and its adjacent areas.
A walk-through metal detector was installed at the entrance of the courtroom on Wednesday as part of heightened security measures.
In the afternoon, ten close circuit cameras and monitoring rooms were installed around the premises.
Police cameramen will record footage of the court premises on Thursday, while police and Rapid Action Battalion with the assistance of the dog squads are already posted at the three entrances.
Prohibitions are imposed on non-stickered cars. Trespassing by public is also banned, the official said.
UK and US diplomats and embassy staff told bdnews24.com they were advised by their missions to not venture from the diplomatic zone and to avoid crowds.
Home minister Sahara Khatun said on Wednesday law-enforcers were on alert everywhere, ready to tackle any security situation regarding the final verdict of the Bangabandhu murder trial.
"But there is no need to panic," said the home minister.
"There is no bar in the movement of the public. Law enforcers will search only those they deem suspicious," she said.
On whether the government fears any acts of sabotage the minister said: "Nothing will happen Inshallah (by the grace of God)."
The ruling Awami League has also asked its supporters not to go overboard and stage rallies and processions following the final verdict.
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