CHITTAGONG: Fourteen people including Jamaat-e-Islami leader Matiur Rahman Nizami and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar were awarded death penalty in smuggling case in much-talked-about sensational 10-truck arms haul.  

Judge SM Mojibur Rahman of Special Tribunal Court of Chittagong passed the verdict on Thursday.  

Amongst the convict, Paresh Barua, military commander of Indian separatist group United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) also was awarded death sentence.

The 11 others are--- ex-NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, former CUFL general manager (admin) Enamul Hoque, ex-managing director of CUFL Mohsin Talukder, former NSI director Wing Commander (retd) Shahab Uddin, smuggler and prime accused Hafizur Rahman, Abdus Sobhan and Deen Islam.

The court also awarded lifetime imprisonment to the 14 persons in another case filed under the Arms Act.  

At first, the judge started reading out the summary of the verdict in the case filed under arms act at 12:17pm.

Later, he pronounced the verdict of the arms smuggling case.

Earlier in the morning, ten accused including Jamaat-e-Islami leader Matiur Rahman Nizami and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar were taken to Chittagong court as it is set to deliver the verdict in much-talked-about sensational 10-truck arms haul cases.  

Amid tight security, the accused had been taken to Special Tribunal Court from Chittagong central jail by prison van at 11:10am.

On April 2, 2004, the police seized 4,930 types of sophisticated firearms, 27,020 grenades, 840 rocket launchers, 300 rockets, 2,000 grenade launching tubes, 6,392 magazines and 11,40,520 bullets when they were being loaded on to 10 trucks from two engine-boats at the jetty of the Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL).

Ahadur Rahman, the then officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli Thana, filed two cases in connection with the incident, which were transferred to the criminal investigation department of police after 22 days.

Former BNP state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, former industries minister and Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami and a few high-ranking intelligence agency and government officials were accused in the cases.

BDST: 1248 HRS, JAN 30, 2014