The Peelkhana attack that took place on February 25, 2009, continues to move through the judicial process. Over the years, the families of both the accused and the slain army officers have endured a long and trying period of patience, as the trial and subsequent appeals have dragged on. Recently, a new development has emerged in the case: according to the prosecution, for the first time, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with several high-ranking political figures, have been named as accused.
The Peelkhana massacre claimed the lives of 57 army officers. Since that tragic day, the murder case has seen years of judicial proceedings. The trial court delivered its verdict on November 5, 2013, sentencing 152 individuals to death, 160 to life imprisonment, and 256 to various other terms of imprisonment. The High Court later upheld the death sentences for 139 people, sentenced 185 to life imprisonment, and imposed various prison terms on 228 others, while 283 individuals were acquitted. Currently, the case remains pending in the Appellate Division.
A significant new aspect of the case involves the Explosives Act. Chief Public Prosecutor Md. Borhan Uddin stated that Sheikh Hasina, Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, and several other senior Awami League leaders, including some ministers serving at that time, have now been included as accused in the supplementary charge sheet. The law permits the addition of such names in the investigation.
