A Dhaka court on Monday acquitted BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and eight others in a case filed under the Explosives Act over a petrol bomb attack during a political strike more than a decade ago.

Dhaka Special Tribunal-14 Judge Md. Jannatul Ferdous Ibne Haque delivered the verdict, clearing all accused of charges due to lack of evidence.

The other acquitted individuals are BNP leaders Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel, Habibur Rashid Habib, Ishaq Sarker, Kazi Abul Bashar, Nazrul Islam Khan Tipu, M.A. Syed Montu, A. Sattar, and Md. Salauddin.

Annie’s counsel, Mohiuddin Chowdhury, stated that the court dismissed the case at the evidence stage, citing insufficient grounds to proceed with prosecution.

According to case records, on November 10, 2013, during a nationwide hartal called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, unidentified assailants hurled a petrol bomb at a passenger vehicle in the Sutrapur area of the capital, leaving five injured. The following day, Sub-Inspector Nayan Farque filed a case under the Explosives Act with Sutrapur Police Station, naming 10 individuals including senior BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

Following investigation, Detective Branch Inspector Anwar Alam Azad submitted the charge sheet on May 21, 2019. Trial proceedings commenced thereafter against nine of the accused, culminating in Monday’s acquittal.