DHAKA, Feb 5, 2025 (BSS) - The High Court (HC) today acquitted all 47 people convicted, including nine who were sentenced to death, in a case lodged over an attack on a train carrying the then-leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina and attempting to kill her in Ishwardi, Pabna.
 
A High Court division bench of Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam and Justice Md Hamidur Rahman pronounced the judgment after hearing the convicts' death references and jail appeals.

Terming the lower court judgment inhuman, the High Court ordered to release the acquitted people immediately. 

Barrister Kaiser Kamal Kamruzzaman Mamun, Jamil Akter Elahi and Maksud Ullah took part in the hearing for the defence, while Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Mojibur Rahman argued for the state.

Pabna Additional District and Session Judge Rustom Ali on July 3, 2019, convicted and sentenced nine people to death. They were the former BNP president of Ishwardi municipality unit AKM Akteruzzaman, former secretary of Ishwardi city unit BNP Jakaria Pintu, former Ishwardi municipality mayor and former secretary of Ishwardi city unit BNP Mokhlesur Rahman Bablu, former VP of Ishwardi government college Rezaul Karim Shahin, former convener of Ishwardi upazila Jubodal Azizur Rahman Shahin, activists of city and district unit of BNP Shahidul Islam Atal, Shamol, Mahabubur Rahman Polash and Samsul Alam.
 
The court had also sentenced 25 people to life imprisonment and fined them Taka three lakh each. It also convicted and sentenced 13 others to 10 years in jail and fined them Taka one lakh each.
 
According to the case documents, Sheikh Hasina was travelling from Khulna to Syedpur via train and holding rallies at different stations. As her train reached Pakshey Railway Station in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila on September 23, 1994, it was attacked with crude bombs and gunshots and the attack continued till Ishwardi Railway station.
 
Police filed the case against seven people. It, however, filed a charge sheet against 52 BNP men on April 4, 1997.