Bangladesh HC Reduces ULFA (I) Leader Paresh Baruah's Death Sentence

By Masum Billah, Dhaka

The Bangladesh High Court has commuted the death sentence of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) leader Paresh Baruah to life imprisonment, overturning the previous verdict.

In addition, the High Court acquitted former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and five others who were sentenced to death in the infamous 10-truck arms haul case in Chattogram. The weapons, which were imported by ULFA (I) from China, were destined for Assam.

The verdict was delivered by the bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasreen Akhter on December 18.

Other death-row convicts who were acquitted include former NSI DG Maj Gen (retired) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, former managing director of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL) Mohsin Uddin Talukder, former CUFL general manager (administration) KM Enamul Haq, and former acting industries secretary Nurul Amin.

Among those acquitted, former Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami and former NSI DG Brig Gen (retired) Abdur Rahim have already passed away, rendering the cases against them ineffective.

Those sentenced to 10 years in prison include former NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, former NSI deputy director Maj (retired) Liakat Hossain, former DGFI director (security) wing commander Shahabuddin Ahmed, accused smuggler Hafizur Rahman, Moinuddin, and trawler owner Haji Abdur Sobhan.

The verdict followed the dismissal of the death references of the accused and the acceptance of their appeals.

On November 6, the hearing on the death reference and jail appeals in the high-profile 10-truck arms haul case commenced. Lawyers, including SM Shahjahan, presented appeals on behalf of Babar, former DGFI DG Rezzakul Haider, and other defendants, challenging their death sentences and jail terms.

Advocate Shahjahan argued that the charges in the case's First Information Report were flawed and the evidence insufficient, stating that punishing the defendants would be against justice.

Paresh Baruah had received a death sentence in the case.

On January 30, 2014, Chattogram's Special Tribunal-1 had sentenced 14 individuals, including former industries minister Matiur Rahman Nizami (who has since been executed), Babar, and Paresh Baruah, to death in the 10-truck arms haul smuggling case. These same defendants were given life sentences in a separate arms case along with additional seven-year terms and fines of Tk5 lakh each.

Other death-row convicts in the case included former NSI DG Maj Gen (retired) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, former NSI DG Brig Gen (retired) Abdur Rahim, former DGFI director (security) wing commander Shahabuddin Ahmed, former NSI deputy director Maj (retired) Liakat Hossain, former NSI field officer Akbar Hossain Khan, former managing director of CUFL Mohsin Uddin Talukder, former CUFL general manager (administration) KM Enamul Haq, former acting industries secretary Nurul Amin, accused smuggler Hafizur Rahman, labour supplier Din Mohammad, and trawler owner Haji Abdur Sobhan.

On April 1, 2004, law enforcement officials seized a large cache of weapons being unloaded at the CUFL jetty. Ten trucks were required to transport the weapons, which had been smuggled via the Bay of Bengal and brought up the Karnaphuli River.

High-ranking officials and state intelligence agencies were accused of being aware of or involved in the smuggling operation. The trial for the case began on July 6, 2005.