Published: 12:19 AM, 02 July 2024 Last Update: 10:36 AM, 02 July 2024
Verdict in AL leader Iqbal Azad murder case on July 3
The court has set Wednesday (July 3, 2024) to pronounce the verdict in the sensational case of the brutal murder of AKM Iqbal Azad, a popular leader of the Awami League in Brahmanbaria's Sarail upazila, as the hearing of arguments has ended.
Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Halimullah Chowdhury on Monday (July 1) fixed the date after closing the arguments.
Public Prosecutor (PP) of the tribunal, Ashok Kumar Das confirmed the matter to the media.
PP Ashok Kumar Das said, “The total number of the accused in the case is 29, out of which two accused have already died and six have been absconding. Out of the rest 21 accused, two were absent during the hearing of arguments. All of the accused were on bail. 19 accused prayed for bail till the verdict, but the court sent them to jail rejecting the plea.”
“A total of 16 prosecution witnesses testified in the case. Hopefully, we will get justice in the case of the savage killing of Awami League leader AKM Iqbal Azad.”
AKM Iqbal Azad, then senior vice president of Sarail upazila Awami League, was assassinated on October 21, 2012 in Sarail upazila headquarters over intra-party feud.
Iqbal Azad’s younger brother Engineer Jahangir Azad, who later passed away, lodged a murder case accusing 22 people including then Sarail upazila AL president Abdul Halim, general secretary Rafique Uddin Thakur, joint secretary Abdul Jabbar, organizing secretary Mahfuz Ali, Sarail upazila Chhatra League general secretary Hafezul Asad Cezar, Muktijoddha Commander Ismat Ali and others.
During the investigation, seven other people including then Sarail upazila AL vice president Sadek Mia were found involved in the killing of Iqbal Azad. Police finally submitted the chargesheet against some 29 accused on December 17, 2012. The case was transferred to Chattogram speedy trial tribunal on March 5, 2013.
Depositions of 14 witnesses including the doctor were taken in the court. As 135 working days of the proceedings passed without the deposition of the investigation officer, the case was sent back to Brahmanbaria judge court as per rule.
A criminal revision was filed with the High Court for transferring the case again to the speedy tribunal in Chattogram on February 20, 2014. In this context, the HC ordered the transfer of the case to the speedy trial tribunal. The proceedings of the case resumed in Chattogram speedy trial tribunal on May 17, 2023.
