The court discharged the rule issued earlier and vacated the stay order. Now there is no legal bar to start the trial of the case, lawyers said.

A division bench comprising Justice Syed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain and Justice Mamnun Rahman delivered the judgement after hearing the petitions.

On February 13, 2001, a procession led by the then Juba Dal president Mirza Abbas and other BNP leaders was brought in the capital in support of hartal. When the procession reached Malibagh crossing, several rounds of bullets were fired on it from another procession passing the area led by Dr Iqbal. Three people died and several others were injured.

After assuming power by the BNP led coalition government, police reinvestigated the case and submitted supplementary charge sheet accusing 24 people, including Dr Iqbal. The case was transferred to Speedy Trial Tribunal-1, Dhaka for trial.

Dr Iqbal and four others filed separate petitions with the High Court for quashing the proceedings of the case. The court issued rule and stayed the case in the trial court.