Home panel nods to top terror Joseph release
The body recommends release of 51 convicts in total
Deepak Acharjee
A home ministry committee yesterday recommended the release of 51 convicts, who have served at least 20 years behind bars.
The names of the prisoners recommended for release include Tofael Ahmed alias Joseph, one of the top criminals of the country in 1990s, on ground of good behaviour, home ministry sources said.
Some of the others recommended for remittance of early release are Majibur Rahman (Prisoner No. 7897), Habibur Rahman (Prisoner No. 9061), Nepolion Khandaker Lepu (Prisoner No. 2650), Nuruzzaman Chowdhury (Prisoner No. 8348), Mohammad Shahjahan Bhuiyan (Prisoner No. 3674), Mipu Miah (Prisoner No. 2245), Deluar Hossain (Prisoner No.2376), Abdus Sattar (Prisoner No.7740), Md Abdul Hannan (Prisoner No. 9357), Ayub Ali (Prisoner No. 2845), Chandra Das (Prisoner No.3130) and Anwar Hossain (Prisoner No. 1483).
Sources said the jail department had proposed the remittance of part of the sentences of 303 convicts for good conduct or for special services rendered in jail as per Clause 569 of the Jail Code.
The names of these convicts were placed for consideration of the committee in a meeting at the home ministry yesterday. The committee then shortlisted 51 names.
Committee chairman Md Mohibul Haque told The Independent that only a few prisoners out of a list of over 300 have been kept in the draft list eligible for release.
The committee members have recommended to release the prisoners on the basis of their nature of crimes, good behaviour in prison, sickness, old age and physical condition, said Mohibul, who is also the additional secretary of the Security Service Division of the home ministry.
We are considering the matter carefully so that they do not get involved in criminal activities again after their release, he added.
Home ministry sources said they will send the names of the convicts recommended for release to the law ministry for vetting after getting approval from the home minister.
And then, the names would be sent to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). After getting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas approval, the home ministry will issue directives to the jail authorities to release the recommended prisoners, a source said.
Sources said 42-year-old Joseph was sentenced to death for murder. Later, his sentence was commuted to life term. His term is set to end on April 11, 2038.
He was accused in at least 11 cases, including extortion, murder and possession of illegal arms. Nine of the cases were subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence.
He has already served 21 years behind bars and is now lodged in Kashimpur jail in Gazipur, the sources said.
In June last year, Josephs mother also appealed for his sentence to be dropped and the law ministry backed her appeal, the sources added.
Joseph was a Chhatra League leader of Mohammedpur in Dhaka city. He later joined notorious gangster Subrata Bains Seven Star gang and went on to form the Five Star Gang in the capital.
His brother, Haris Ahmed, was also a notorious criminal and is still on the polices most-wanted list. He is reportedly hiding in India.
