Bangladesh Supreme Court orders hanging of Bangabandhu killers

November 19, 2009

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/332/bangladesh-supreme-court-orders-hanging

On Thursday [November 19, 2009] morning, Bangladesh Supreme Court, in the much awaited verdict, confirmed the death sentence of 12 former army men in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder case, dismissing appeals filed by the convicts.

The condemned were Lt Col (dismissed) Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Lt Col (retd) Muhiuddin Ahmed, Lt Col (retd) AKM Mahiuddin Ahmed, Maj (retd) Bazlul Huda, Lt Col (retd) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Maj (retd) Shariful Haque Dalim, Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) SHMB Noor Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) Md Abdul Aziz Pasha, Capt (retd) Abdul Mazed, and Risaldar (retd) Moslemuddin. After hearing for 29 days the appeals filed by five condemned convicts in the case challenging their convictions and sentences, a special bench of the SC Appellate Division comprising Justice Md Tafazzul Islam, Justice Md Abdul Aziz, Justice BK Das, Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, and Justice SK Sinha delivered the verdict.

Convicts Lt Col (sacked) Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Lt Col (retd) Muhiuddin Ahmed, Lt Col (retd) AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, and Maj (retd) Bazlul Huda, who are now behind bars, filed the appeals with the apex court in October 2007 against their convictions and death sentences by a lower court. Earlier on November 8, 1998, Dhaka Sessions Judge Golam Rasul handed down death sentences to 15 of the 20 defendants in the case.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the following members of his family were assassinated in three separate attacks: his wife Begum Fazilatunnessa, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and nine-year-old Sheikh Russel, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal, Parveen Jamal, Bangabandhu's brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, 13-year-old Baby Serniabat, Serniabat's son Arif, four-year-old grand son Babu, a visiting nephew, three guests, four servants, Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, a nephew of Bangabandhu, his wife Begum Arju Moni, and Bangabandhu's security chief Colonel Jamil Uddin Ahmed.

With the pronouncement of the verdict of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, all legal obstacles in hanging the self-proclaimed killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been removed and it is anticipated that, all those convicts, who are already in Bangladeshi prison, shall be executed by December 16 this year, while the government will take all out efforts in bringing back all the absconding killers of the founding father of Bangladesh. The only legal barriers now are judgement of the Appellate Division, if the convicts will go for reviewing the verdict by the Appellate Division, as well as confirmation of the death penalty by the Honorable President of Bangladesh.

Government took highest security measures in the country anticipating any sabotage by the absconding killers or their local collaborators.

Rulling Bangladesh Awami League has been demanding trial of the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for decades. With the verdict of the Bangladesh Supreme Court and subsquent execution of the death penalty, family members of Bangabandhu and others who were brutally murdered in 1975 will finally get comfort of getting justice.

Related Topics:  Bangladesh News receive the latest by email: subscribe to weekly blitz's free mailing list