DHAKA, Aug 17, 2019 (BSS) – The nation today recalled the countrywide simultaneous bomb attacks carried out by the banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) on August 17, 2005.
Two persons were killed and over 50 people were wounded as the outfit carried out the bomb attacks at around 500 points in all districts except Munshiganj on August 17 in 2005.
Different socio-cultural organizations and political parties observed the 14th anniversary of the serial blasts in a befitting manner with a renewed call to stamp out militancy from the country.
Police said 159 cases were lodged in different parts of the country over the blasts. Police submitted charge sheets in 142 cases against 1072 accused and final reports in rest 17 other cases were submitted as accused could not be identified, according to available statistics of the police headquarters.
A total of 961 accused were arrested in those cases. In the cases, 322 people has been given sentence with different jail terms while trial in 59 cases is still going on, the sources said.
Fifteen accused in the serial blasts have already been handed down with death penalty.
A total of 358 accused in the serial blasts have already been acquitted of the charges and 133 accused are on bail, it added.
The JMB had shown their existence to the nation by carrying out the series blasts on August 17, 2005. But their organizational activities suffered a huge setback with the execution of death sentences of JMB’s top six leaders in 2007.
The six leaders — Shaikh Abdur Rahman, his second-in-command Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny, think-tank Abdul Awal, Khaled Saifullah and Salahuddin — were hanged on March 30 in 2007 in the case for the killing of two judges in Jhalokathi district.