Ahsanullah killing: hearing on writ petition 17 July

An appellate division on Thursday fixed July 17 for hearing a writ petition filed over the High Court verdict acquitting 11 people in the murder of Awami League lawmaker Ahsanullah Master.

A SC appellate bench headed by Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed the date after hearing the state’s position over the writ petition in the morning.

Earlier, on June 20 state filed a writ petition over HC verdict acquitting 11 people and the Supreme Court’s chamber judge on June 21 stayed HC verdict until 14 July, 2016.

On, Jun 15, the court upheld death sentences pronounced on six persons and life term for one, reduced capital punishment for seven to life imprisonment and acquitted 11 others.

A Speedy Trial Tribunal in 2005 had handed down the death penalty to 22 people, including the main accused, BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, and life in prison to six others.

Two of the convicts are dead and one is on the run.

A popular Gazipur politician and then Ahsanullah Master, the then Awami League MP and a freedom fighter was gunned down along with another person on May 7, 2004, while addressing a local conference held on a school ground at Tongi.