BANGLADESH

A Sylhet court has ordered reinvestigation into the grenade attack on former British high commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury.

Special tribunal judge Mohammad Nazir Ahmed, also additional district and sessions judge, on Sunday ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police to probe afresh the attack that killed three people and injured over 50, including Anwar, on May 25, 2004.

Public prosecutor Misbahuddin Siraj told reporters the tribunal ordered the re-inquiry following his appeal during the deposition of witnesses in a case filed under the explosives act over the attack. A murder case had also been filed.

In his appeal, Siraj said though the assailants have been identified, those who masterminded it are behind the scenes, hence the reinvestigation was needed.

Choudhury was leaving the shrine of saint Shah Jalal in Sylhet after prayers when the attack took place.

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and members Shahedul Alam Bipul, Delwar Hossain Ripon and Mafizur Rahman had been accused in the cases.

Following his arrest in Oct 2006, Bipul confessed in Sylhet's magistrate court to launching the attack.

In Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Mufti Hannan also later confessed to supplying the grenade.