Two identified over crude bomb blast outside Supreme Court: Home minister

Two people involved in the crude bomb blast outside the Supreme Court’s judges’ gate have been identified after investigators examined CCTV footage, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said today (15 September).

He made the remark while speaking to journalists following a coordination meeting on development activities in Dhaka city and surrounding area at the Secretariat. 

The blast, which occurred shortly after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced seven Awami League leaders to death in the morning.

The home minister further said investigators were also examining whether the incident was a reaction to the tribunal’s verdict.

He described the blast as a minor incident, saying it occurred following the death sentences handed down to the seven accused.

Asked about the tribunal’s verdict, Salahuddin said the government considers it a judicial process through which justice has been delivered.

“The government believes that the victims and the people of the country have received justice through the court,” he said.

He said the court is independent and the verdict was delivered after completing the judicial process.

“The government has no comment on the court’s verdict,” he added.

The minister did not respond to questions about the progress of efforts to extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others from India or about implementing the tribunal’s verdict.

‘Small groups carrying out AL activities’

Responding to questions about activities of the banned Awami League, Salahuddin said small groups were occasionally attempting to carry out programmes on behalf of the party.

“In some places, a small number of people have marched after Fajr prayers, recorded videos and circulated them,” he said.

He also referred to a recent incident in Gulshan, where a group of people gathered during the daytime claiming they had come to perform Friday prayers but allegedly attempted to carry out a political programme.

Action was later taken over the incident, he said.

Asked whether intelligence agencies had prior information about the Gulshan gathering, the home minister said there might have been intelligence information, but police may not have anticipated that people arriving for Friday prayers would attempt to carry out political activities.

“However, there is no scope to call it a failure of the police. Action was taken afterwards,” he said.