Former Minister of State for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar Gets Bail
TL;DR
- Former State Minister Lutfozzaman Babar granted bail in the 2005 murder case of ex-Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria, despite being currently imprisoned in Dhaka
- The case stems from a grenade attack at a public meeting in Habiganj on January 27, 2005, which killed Kibria and implicated several BNP leaders
- Babar faces multiple legal challenges, including a death sentence in the August 21 grenade attack case and accusations of illegally acquiring assets worth 70.5 million taka
- This bail decision comes nearly two decades after the incident, highlighting the prolonged nature of high-profile legal proceedings in Bangladesh
Former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar has been granted bail in the murder case of former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria. The bail order was issued on Wednesday, September 11, by Judge Swapan Kumar Sarkar of the Speedy Trial Tribunal in Sylhet.
The case stems from a grenade attack on January 27, 2005, at a public meeting in Baidyer Bazar, Habiganj Sadar Upazila, which resulted in the death of Shah AMS Kibria, who was serving as the Finance Minister at the time. Following the incident, a case was filed implicating several Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) central leaders, including Babar and former Sylhet City Mayor Ariful Haq Chowdhury.
While Ariful Haq Chowdhury appeared in court for the hearing, Babar, who is currently imprisoned in Dhaka, was not present. Despite his absence, the court granted Babar bail in this case.
Babar’s legal troubles extend beyond the Kibria murder case. He was initially arrested on May 28, 2007, during the caretaker government period following the BNP’s term. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against him on January 13, 2008, at Ramna Police Station, accusing him of illegally acquiring assets and concealing information.
At the time, Babar declared assets worth 67.7 million taka to the ACC. However, he was accused of concealing information about assets valued at 70.5 million taka. Charges were formally brought against him on August 12 of the same year.
Babar faces several other legal challenges. Notably, he was previously sentenced to death in a separate court for his involvement in the August 21 grenade attack case.
This latest development in the Kibria murder case comes nearly two decades after the incident, highlighting the prolonged nature of high-profile legal proceedings in Bangladesh. The granting of bail to such a prominent figure in a case of this magnitude is likely to draw significant attention and potentially spark discussions about the country’s justice system.
News Source: Ittefaq
