50 BNP workers jailed over 2002 attack on Hasina's convoy

Dhaka, Feb 4 After 19 years, a court on Thursday sentenced 50 Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) workers, including MP Habibul Islam Habib, over the 2002 attack on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's convoy in Satkhira.

The verdict was given by Humayun Kabir, Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Satkhira court.

During the verdict on Thursday, 34 accused out of 50 were present before the court.

All the accused are activists and workers of the BNP, with Habib and two others facing 10 years in prison.

Another of the 50 accused, BNP arms cadre 'Tiger Khokon' is already serving jail time in another case.

Of the 50 people, 15 of them including, local BNP leader Abdul Kader Bacchu, are absconding.

On August 30, 2002, the convoy of Sheikh, the then Leader of the Opposition, came under an attacked in Kalaroa upazila by the BNP Arms Cadres with rapid firing and bomb blasts.

She was on her way back to Jessore after visiting a freedom fighter's wife in Satkhira, who was raped by BNP workers, on the instructions of Habibul Islam Habib, the then lawmaker and the district president of the party.

Hasina survived the attack but more than 12 of the Awami league leaders and activists were injured in the attack.

On September 2, 2002 Moslemuddin, the commander of freedom fighters of Kalaroa filed a case against 70-75 people, including Juba Dol leaders Ashraf Hossain and Abdul Quader Bachchu accusing them of the attack.

It was dismissed by the then Jamaat-BNP led government due to not being recorded at the police station.

The case was considered as a statement on October 15, 2014 by the Supreme Court. Later, the investigating officer filed a chargesheet in the court against 50 people.

( With inputs from IANS )