Bangladesh's High Court has cleared former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, and 48 others of charges related to a deadly grenade attack at a political rally in 2004.

This decision comes during a tense period for the country, as political unrest continues following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure to India in August after a massive uprising that claimed hundreds of lives. Rahman, who is in self-exile in London, is the acting chairperson of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party. If his party be elected to power, Rahman might take over as Bangladesh's next leader. In 2018, Rahman and 48 others were convicted for attacking a rally of Hasina's supporters, who were then leading the opposition. The attack resulted in the deaths of two dozen people and injuries to around 300. Out of the accused, 19 were sentenced to death, while Rahman received life imprisonment. Zia's party claimed the verdict was politically motivated.

On Sunday, a two-member judge panel overturned the entire 2018 ruling after the defendants appealed. Defence lawyer Shishir Monir stated that the court found the trial and verdict unlawful. Consequently, all 49 defendants have been acquitted. Hasina and Zia are the nation's most influential leaders and lifelong adversaries. Zia served as prime minister from 2001 until 2006. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace laureate, has been the nation's acting leader since Hasina's departure, but officials have been finding it difficult to maintain order in the face of turmoil, mob justice, and allegations of systematic persecution of minority groups, especially Hindus, which Yunus called "exaggerated." 

Hasina's Awami League party criticised the court ruling in a Facebook post on Sunday, stating that it wasn't "Yunus' Kangaroo court" and emphasising that the people of Bangladesh would hold those responsible for the attacks accountable. Zia's party has expressed support for the ruling issued on Sunday. The attorney general's office has the option to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court. The government, led by Yunus, has not provided a timeline for the next election. However, Rahman and his party are pushing for elections to be held soon.

On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami party, which held key Cabinet positions during its alliance with Zia's party from 2001 to 2006, supports allowing the Yunus-led government to remain in power for now to implement reforms across various sectors before the next election. Meanwhile, Hasina is facing charges of crimes against humanity for deaths during the student-led protests over the summer. The interim government has approached Interpol for assistance in arresting her. It remains uncertain whether India will respond to a potential extradition request from Bangladesh under their mutual treaty.