Dhaka: A Dhaka court Tuesday rejected a bail petition by detained former home minister Lutfozzaman Babar in the twin-case of grisly grenade attack on the Awami League rally on August 21, 2004.

Acting judge of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court Ismail Hossain issued the order turning down the analogous bail prayers of the powerful ex-minister of the past BNP government.

Babar’s bail prayers were earlier refused on May 5 by a lower court. Thereafter, his counsel filed appeal with the Sessions Judge’s Court.

He was implicated at a later date in the two cases -- one for murder and another under the Explosives Act – filed with Motijheel Police Station a day after the grenade attack.

Babar was shown arrested in the case on October 26 last year and later remanded several times.

His lawyer Jainul Abedin Mesbah told banglanews24.com.bd, “We will appeal against the order in the High Court after getting the copy of the order.”

The diabolic grenade attack of Aug 21 2004 on the grand rally of Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue killed at least 24 people, including Ivi Rahman, Women Affairs Secretary of the party and wife of president Zillur Rahman, and left scores injured.

It was a close call for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader. She suffered injuries in the blitzkrieg.

On August 3 last year, a Dhaka court ordered the inspector general of police to reinvestigate the cases after the prosecution filed petitions for identifying the persons who had procured and supplied the grenades used in the carnage.

BST 1820 HRS, June 1, 2010
MI/MMK/ARF/AK/SMS/MUA