Tarique's acquittal proves cases were politically motivated: Fakhrul

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 stated on Sunday  said this verdict has manifested all the cases filed against their party Acting Chairman 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.

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.

Rizvi said when retired police officer Abdul Kahar Akhand was reappointed and made the investigation officer (IO) of the cases during the Awami League rule, it became clear to them that the government had malicious intentions.

The BNP leader also alleged that the Awami League government had used state power to forcibly convict Tarique Rahman and other BNP leaders in the cases. “We have got the proper judgement from the apex court. Some of the justice for which we have been engaged in a long political struggle has been reflected in the verdict,” he said.

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.