BNP Vice Chairman Abdus Salam Pintu was released from Kashimpur Central Jail on Tuesday, ending nearly 17 years of imprisonment.

His freedom comes after a High Court acquittal in the 21 August grenade attack case, with the necessary documents processed late Monday night.

Pintu, a former deputy minister in the BNP-led government, stepped out of prison at 11:00 AM, welcomed by jubilant supporters, party leaders, and family members. Celebrations included floral garlands and processions.

Pintu was arrested in connection with the 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally, which claimed 24 lives and left over 300 injured. The attack is regarded as one of the gravest political crimes in Bangladesh’s history.

In 2018, a trial court sentenced Pintu and 18 others to death for their involvement in the attack. High-profile figures such as Lutfozzaman Babar, a former state minister for home affairs, were among the convicts. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Khaleda Zia`s political secretary Harris Chowdhury, and senior BNP leader Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad received life imprisonment sentences.

Abdus Salam Pintu, an influential figure in the BNP, began his political career as the founding general secretary of the Tangail District BNP. He served as a Member of Parliament for Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuiyanpur) in 1991, 1996, and 2001 before being appointed deputy minister in 2001 under the BNP-led coalition government.

Pintu’s release has sparked reactions across political circles, with BNP leaders hailing it as a victory for justice. However, the case remains a critical chapter in the nation`s political history.