DHAKA, July 3: A district court of Bangladesh has handed death penalty to nine people for attacks on a train decades back with a view to assassinating then opposition leader and now incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, media reports said on Wednesday.
Additional Sessions Judge Rostom Ali of Pabna District Court handed down the verdict in presence of dozens of accused, Xinhua News Agency reported. Ali also sentenced 25 persons to life term.
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Subject to confirmation of the apex court, the judge also jailed 13 people for 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, the report further said.
On September 23, 1994, Hasina was leading a nationwide campaign by rail when her coach came under attack upon arriving at a station in Pabna district. Her train was attacked with crude bombs and gunshots. Hasina survived the assault.
Police subsequently filed a case accusing 52 persons and some others. Police pressed charge sheet against the accused on April 4, 1997, but all of them secured bail from court. Thirty of the 52 accused were present before the court and sought bail Monday. Rejecting their bail plea, the court sent them to jail. It also issued arrest warrants against the rest of the accused.
