25 years on, Ramna Batamul explosives case still awaits verdict

A quarter of a century after the deadly bomb attack on Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Batamul, the case filed under the Explosives Substances Act remains unresolved, despite the murder trial concluding more than a decade ago.

The coordinated blasts on 14 April 2001 killed 10 people and injured many others, shocking the nation during one of its most important cultural festivals. Two separate cases were filed following the attack - one for murder and another under explosives laws.

While the murder case reached its conclusion in 2014 with multiple convictions, proceedings in the explosives case have been delayed for years and are now stuck at the final stage of recording statements of the accused under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The case is currently being heard by Metropolitan Special Tribunal-15, but repeated adjournments have slowed progress. Court sources said the hearing scheduled on 31 March could not proceed as the accused were not produced before the court, prompting the judge to set 9 July as the next date.

Although witness testimonies were completed in March 2022, the trial has remained at the self-defence stage for several years following multiple transfers between tribunals.

Prosecutors say the case is nearing completion. Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi expressed hope that a verdict could be delivered before the next Pahela Baishakh, noting that delays were caused by the absence of witnesses and procedural complications in higher courts.

However, defence lawyers argue that some accused have been detained for nearly two decades without being named in the initial case documents, raising concerns about due process and prolonged detention.

The case involves multiple accused, with several currently in custody, some on bail, and others absconding. Investigators had filed charge sheets years after the incident, with the probe itself facing delays due to changes in investigating officers and procedural setbacks.

Despite the passage of 25 years, the explosives case remains pending, leaving victims’ families still awaiting full judicial closure for one of the deadliest attacks on Bangladesh’s cultural heritage.