BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today expressed satisfaction over the High Court verdict that acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and other convicts in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack.

“Justice has been served,” Rizvi said at a press conference at the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office today, UNB reports.

Rizvi also said Tarique and other accused in the two cases had been deprived of justice under the Awami League government.

Rizvi said that when retired police officer Abdul Kahar Akhand was reappointed and made the investigation officer (IO) of the cases during the Awami League rule, it became clear to that the government had “malicious” intentions, UNB added.

The BNP leader also alleged that the AL government had used state power to “forcibly convict” Tarique and other BNP leaders in the cases.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas at Jatiya Press Club this afternoon said the August 21 grenade attack was a planned act by a “foreign power, and the BNP was never involved.”

“The verdict has been announced today, and Tarique was not found involved. He has been acquitted,” Abbas said at an immediate reaction following the High Court’s judgement in the case.

Abbas said, “A foreign power carried out this heinous act to frame Begum Khaleda Zia and our leader, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. They did not tried to frame him (Tarique) only but also fabricated a false case, concocted a story, and based on that, sentenced him.”

He also said, “It has now proven that Tarique Rahman was not involved, and all those accused have been acquitted.”

Reflecting on the legal challenges faced by the BNP, Abbas said, “We have not received fair justice in the past. But today, on the first day of December, we received good news. In sha allah, we hope for more good news in the days ahead.”

BNP leaders and activists still hope for fair justice in the numerous cases filed against them during the Awami League government’s tenure, he further said.