The High Court acquitted BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, sentenced to life imprisonment, and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, sentenced to death, along with all other convicts in the 21 August grenade attack case.
An HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahim passed the order on Sunday (1 December).
The High Court declared the trial court’s previous ruling invalid.
In its observations, the High Court noted that while witnesses described the events, none identified the individuals who hurled the grenades.
Furthermore, the charge sheet did not mention who supplied the grenades for the attack.
The trial court had earlier sentenced 19 individuals, including Lutfozzaman Babar and several members of the militant organisation Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), to death.
Among those convicted were Major General (Retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, Brigadier General (Retd) Abdur Rahim, Sheikh Abdus Salam, and BNP leader Abdul Salam Pintu.
Another 19 individuals, including Tarique Rahman and Haris Chowdhury, former political secretary to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Eleven others received various prison terms and fines.
The grenade attack occurred on 21 August 2004 at a rally of the then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.
The attack killed 24 individuals and injured hundreds, including Hasina herself.
Two separate cases—one for murder and another under explosives law—were filed following the incident.
In 2018, the trial court sentenced the convicts, including the death penalty for 19 individuals and life imprisonment for another 19.
The death penalties were forwarded to the High Court for approval under the death reference procedure. The convicts also filed appeals through prison authorities.
High Court’s ruling, announced at 11am, followed extensive hearings that concluded on 21 November.
These hearings began on 31 October after Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan assigned the case to the bench led by Justice Asaduzzaman.
During the trial, the prosecution sought to uphold the tribunal's verdict, while defence lawyers appealed for the acquittal of their clients.
After reserving judgment, the bench delivered the landmark verdict, overturning the convictions and freeing all accused.
The prosecution has announced plans to appeal the ruling, expressing disappointment over the outcome.
