Fakhrul: Tarique's acquittal proves cases were politically motivated

Expressing relief over the High Court's acquittal of Tarique Rahman in the August 21 grenade attack cases, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said that the verdict has proved that all the cases filed against his party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, were politically motivated and conspiratorial.

“Tarique Rahman was acquitted by the High Court after legally facing the charges brought against him,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

Fakhrul, now in London, issued the statement following the High Court's verdict in the two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack.

“The judgement has shown that the Awami fascist government accused Tarique Rahman in these cases with political motives,” he said.

“Through this historic verdict, it has been demonstrated once again that all the cases filed against Tarique Rahman were political conspiracies,” Fakhrul said.

He expressed his gratitude to Allah for the verdict and called upon party leaders and activists across the country to pray for Tarique's well-being.

Earlier, at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi expressed his satisfaction, saying that justice has been served as the High Court acquitted Tarique Rahman and the others convicted in the two cases.

Earlier in the day, the High Court (HC) had overturned the verdict of a lower court in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack, acquitting all convicts, including BNP's Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman and former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar.

An HC bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the judgement on Sunday.

The court also declared the charge sheet in the case illegal.

The grenade attack, a shocking incident, occurred on Dhaka's Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.