Babar acquitted in 10-truck arms haul case

The High Court has acquitted former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and five others in another case filed under the Arms Act over the controversial 10-truck arms haul in Chattogram of 2004.

The HC bench comprising Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasrin Akhter passed the order on Tuesday (January 14) after reviewing the death reference and appeals filed by the accused.

Lawyer Shishir Manir represented Babar in court, while Deputy Attorney General Sultana Akhter Ruby and Assistant Attorney General M Asif Imran Zisan appeared for the state. Senior lawyer SM Shahjahan defended the other accused.

The HC also acquitted five other accused, including Mohsin Talukder, Enamul Haque, Nurul Amin and Razzakul Haider. The sentences of six death row convicts were reduced to 10 years of imprisonment.

Moreover, Paresh Barua, a military commander of the Indian separatist organisation United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment.

Earlier on 18 December last year, the High Court also acquitted Babar from death sentence in another case filed under the Special Powers Act over the 10-truck arms haul.

The case dates back to 1 April 2004, when 10 truckloads of arms were seized at the Urea Fertilizer Limited (CUFL) jetty in Chattogram.

Two cases—one under the Arms Act and another under the Special Powers Act—were filed with Karnaphuli Police Station the following day.

On 30 January 2014, Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Mujibur Rahman sentenced 14 people to death under the Special Powers Act.

They were also handed life imprisonment and seven years imprisonment each under two sections of the arms case.

The 14 sentenced to death included former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, ULFA chief Paresh Barua, former DGFI director Maj Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, and former NSI director general Abdur Rahim. The charges were related to smuggling under the Special Powers Act.

Of these convicts, Motiur Rahman Nizami was executed in 2016 for crimes against humanity.