B'desh sentences 10 to death over 2001 rally blast

Dhaka (IANS) A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced 10 members of the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (Huji) to death over the 2001 blasts at a political rally here.

Judge Md Robiul Alam of the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka announced the verdict, reports The Daily Star newspaper.

Five people were killed and 50 others injured following the blasts at the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) rally in the capital's Paltan Maidan on January 20, 2001.

Later, the then CPB president Monzurul Ahsan Khan had filed a case accusing unidentified people in connection with the incident.

Investigation Officer CID Inspector Mrinal Kanti Saha submitted two chargesheets to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka on November 27, 2013.

During the trial, the court recorded statements of 46 prosecution witnesses including complainant of the case.

On December 1, 2019, the court set the date after conclusion of arguments from the prosecution and the defence.