The Bangladeshi High Court has commuted the death sentence of Paresh Baruah, the chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), to life imprisonment. The decision, delivered on Wednesday, is linked to the infamous 2004 weapons smuggling case, as reported by The Times of India.
The verdict was issued by a bench comprising Justices Mustafa Zaman Islam and Nasreen Akter. Alongside this commutation, the bench also acquitted former minister Lutfozzaman Babar and five other accused individuals, according to India Today.
The case originates from a significant arms seizure by Bangladeshi authorities on April 1, 2004, at a jetty in Chittagong. The haul included 4,930 firearms, 27,020 grenades, 840 rocket launchers, 300 rockets, 2,000 grenade launch tubes, 6,392 magazines, and over 1.14 million bullets. Investigations revealed that these weapons, manufactured in China, were intended for delivery to ULFA.
In 2014, a special court in Chittagong had sentenced Paresh Baruah and 13 others to death for their roles in the case, marking a significant moment in Bangladesh’s legal history. However, this latest judgment revises that ruling for Baruah while clearing charges against other prominent figures, including Lutfozzaman Babar.
ULFA, an insurgent group banned in India since 1990 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, has pursued a violent campaign to establish an independent Assam for the indigenous Assamese people. Since its inception in 1979, ULFA’s activities have drawn widespread condemnation. Paresh Baruah, reportedly residing in China, remains on India’s National Investigation Agency’s most wanted list, according to PTI.
The case’s broader context also involves Matiur Rahman Nizami, the former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, who was an accused in the same case. Nizami was executed in 2016 for his involvement in atrocities committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
The High Court’s recent judgment reflects the complexities and evolving dynamics of the legal and political landscape in Bangladesh and its implications for regional security.
