Jail Killing Day

Justice remains elusive

Even though 42 years have passed after the gruesome Jail Killing Day, none of the 11 convicted killers involved in the carnage has been punished until now. More than four decades have passed since the assassination of four national heroes—Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, AHM Qamaruzzaman and Capt. M Mansur Ali—inside the Dhaka Central Jail on this day in 1975. It has already been 13 years, since a trial court handed down the punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous crime. It is believed that all the convicts are hiding abroad. The government has so far succeeded in tracing the whereabouts of only two—one in the USA and the other in Canada—but failed to bring them back to the country. There have been no further updates from a taskforce, headed by the law minister, formed by the government in 2010 to locate and bring back the killers on the run.

All this while, the relatives of the four leaders have been waiting for justice. They are still hopeful that the killers would be executed in Bangladesh one day. Talking to The Independent in an exclusive interview at his Dhanmondi residence on Wednesday, Mohammad Nasim, son of M Mansur Ali, said the four national leaders were killed in a barbaric and cowardly manner. “The prison is the most secure place on earth, but the killers assassinated my father along with others inside the jail. It's very painful and unbearable,” he added.

Nasim, who is a ruling party minister, said that he could not see his father’s body because the killers were after him as well. He said the government has been trying to bring back the killers. He also said that the heads of the countries where these killers have taken refuge should hand them over to the Bangladesh government. “I hope the heads of the USA and Canada will take necessary steps to deport the killers to Bangladesh so that they can be executed on the soil of Bangladesh one day,” he added.

He said that the killers had assassinated the four national leaders after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s assassination, knowing that they would avenge Bangabandhu’s killing.

When contacted, law minister Anisul Huq yesterday reiterated that the government is trying its best through diplomatic channels to bring back the fugitives. “We are trying to bring back those who have already been traced. We're trying to find out the whereabouts of rest of the killers,” he said.

Against this backdrop, the nation pays tribute to the four national leaders in the 42nd anniversary of Jail Killing Day today. The four leaders were shot dead after repeated bayonet charges inside the Dhaka Central Jail on this day in 1975. They had been sent to the jail soon after the August 15, 1975 bloodbath that claimed the lives of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members. The four leaders had led the country's Liberation War in 1971 after Bangabandhu had been detained by the Pakistan army. The government taskforce that has been looking for the fugitives' since 2010 learned about another convicted killer, Noor Chowdhury, who is believed to be in Canada.

During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent visit to that country, the issue was discussed at the highest level. However, Canada has declined to deport Noor Chowdhury, as its policy does not approve sending back a person in case of the provision of the death penalty.

Canada, however, reportedly did not accept Noor's application for political asylum. The Supreme Court on April 30, 2013 upheld the death penalty of three former armymen and the life term of eight others involved in the killing of the four leaders.

The three convicts who were awarded the death penalty are: Risalder (retd) Muslemuddin, Dafadar (dismissed) Marfat Ali Shah and Dafadar (dismissed) Abdul Hashem Mridha. The eight convicts who were handed down life-term imprisonment are Lt Col (dismissed) Khondaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haq Dalim, Lt Col (retd) SHMB Noor Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury, Maj. (relieved) Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Capt (retd) Abdul Majed, Capt (relieved) Kismat Hasem and Capt (relieved) Nazmul Hossain.

The apex court affirmed the judgment of a Dhaka court that convicted and sentenced Muslemuddin, Marfat Ali Shah and Abdul Hashem Mridha to death and handed down life-term imprisonment to 12 others, including the eight, in 2004.

Four others—Lt Col (dismissed) Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Maj. (retd) Bazlul Huda and Maj. (retd) AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed—were executed in the Bangabandhu assassination case. In 2011, the SC exempted Farooq, Shahriar, Mohiuddin and Bazlul Huda from the charges as they had already been executed. Earlier, in August 2008, the High Court had upheld the capital punishment for Muslemuddin and acquitted Marfat and Hashem. It also acquitted Farooq, Shahriar, Mohiuddin and Bazlul Huda.

 

Jail Killing Day

Justice remains elusive

Even though 42 years have passed after the gruesome Jail Killing Day, none of the 11 convicted killers involved in the carnage has been punished until now. More than four decades have passed since the assassination of four national heroesSyed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, AHM Qamaruzzaman and Capt. M Mansur Aliinside the Dhaka Central Jail on this day in 1975. It has already been 13 years, since a trial court handed down the punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous crime. It is believed that all the convicts are hiding abroad. The government has so far succeeded in tracing the whereabouts of only twoone in the USA and the other in Canadabut failed to bring them back to the country. There have been no further updates from a taskforce, headed by the law minister, formed by the government in 2010 to locate and bring back the killers on the run. All this while, the relatives of the four leaders have been waiting for justice. They are still hopeful that the killers would be executed in Bangladesh one day. Talking to The Independent in an exclusive interview at his Dhanmondi residence on Wednesday, Mohammad Nasim, son of M Mansur Ali, said the four national leaders were killed in a barbaric and cowardly manner. The prison is the most secure place on earth, but the killers assassinated my father along with others inside the jail. Its very painful and unbearable, he added. Nasim, who is a ruling party minister, said that he could not see his fathers body because the killers were after him as well. He said the government has been trying to bring back the killers. He also said that the heads of the countries where these killers have taken refuge should hand them over to the Bangladesh government. I hope the heads of the USA and Canada will take necessary steps to deport the killers to Bangladesh so that they can be executed on the soil of Bangladesh one day, he added. He said that the killers had assassinated the four national leaders after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans assassination, knowing that they would avenge Bangabandhus killing. When contacted, law minister Anisul Huq yesterday reiterated that the government is trying its best through diplomatic channels to bring back the fugitives. We are trying to bring back those who have already been traced. Were trying to find out the whereabouts of rest of the killers, he said. Against this backdrop, the nation pays tribute to the four national leaders in the 42nd anniversary of Jail Killing Day today. The four leaders were shot dead after repeated bayonet charges inside the Dhaka Central Jail on this day in 1975. They had been sent to the jail soon after the August 15, 1975 bloodbath that claimed the lives of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members. The four leaders had led the countrys Liberation War in 1971 after Bangabandhu had been detained by the Pakistan army. The government taskforce that has been looking for the fugitives since 2010 learned about another convicted killer, Noor Chowdhury, who is believed to be in Canada. During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas recent visit to that country, the issue was discussed at the highest level. However, Canada has declined to deport Noor Chowdhury, as its policy does not approve sending back a person in case of the provision of the death penalty. Canada, however, reportedly did not accept Noors application for political asylum. The Supreme Court on April 30, 2013 upheld the death penalty of three former armymen and the life term of eight others involved in the killing of the four leaders. The three convicts who were awarded the death penalty are: Risalder (retd) Muslemuddin, Dafadar (dismissed) Marfat Ali Shah and Dafadar (dismissed) Abdul Hashem Mridha. The eight convicts who were handed down life-term imprisonment are Lt Col (dismissed) Khondaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haq Dalim, Lt Col (retd) SHMB Noor Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury, Maj. (relieved) Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Capt (retd) Abdul Majed, Capt (relieved) Kismat Hasem and Capt (relieved) Nazmul Hossain. The apex court affirmed the judgment of a Dhaka court that convicted and sentenced Muslemuddin, Marfat Ali Shah and Abdul Hashem Mridha to death and handed down life-term imprisonment to 12 others, including the eight, in 2004. Four othersLt Col (dismissed) Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Maj. (retd) Bazlul Huda and Maj. (retd) AKM Mohiuddin Ahmedwere executed in the Bangabandhu assassination case. In 2011, the SC exempted Farooq, Shahriar, Mohiuddin and Bazlul Huda from the charges as they had already been executed. Earlier, in August 2008, the High Court had upheld the capital punishment for Muslemuddin and acquitted Marfat and Hashem. It also acquitted Farooq, Shahriar, Mohiuddin and Bazlul Huda.