Govt keen to bring back Bangabandhu killers before 2020, says minister

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said the government wants to bring back the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ahead of his 100th birth anniversary in 2020. “The foreign ministry is actively working on bringing back the killers of Bangabandhu. We want to bring the killers back before celebrating his 100th birth anniversary,” he added. The minister came up with the statement while distributing special stipends to students on the occasion of Bangabandhu’s birth anniversary, organised by the law department of Dhaka University.

Since the verdict in the Bangabandhu killing case, the government made  efforts through diplomatic channels, intelligence and the Interpol to bring back the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu. On November 19, 2009, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld a High Court (HC) Verdict, confirming the death sentence of 12 people, including six killers who had assassinated Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975.

Since then, the government has been continuing its efforts to extradite the six killers. They are: Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Maj. (retd) Noor Chowdhury, Maj. (retd) Rashed Chowdhury, Capt. Abdul Majed and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan.

Five of the convicts—Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, and Mohiuddin Ahmed—were executed on January 27, 2010. The other killer, Aziz Pasha, died in Zimbabwe in 2001.

The government has so far located two fugitive killers—Noor Chowdhury, who is now staying in Canada, and Rashed Chowdhury, who is now in the US. It is deeply engaged in various discussions with the US and Canadian governments about their extradition, but legal complexities have created an obstacle in the extradition process. The US government has repeatedly been requested to extradite Rashed by cancelling his political asylum, but no headway has been made in this regard.

On the other hand, Noor is now facing legal matters in a Canadian court about the cancellation of his asylum there. The final hearing has been completed recently, but no judgment has been given over his status in Canada.

During his recent visit to Sylhet, the foreign minister at a programme said that he would discuss the issue of bringing back Bangabandhu's killer from the US during his next visit there. According to souces, Momen is likely to visit the US on April 6.

 

Govt keen to bring back Bangabandhu killers before 2020, says minister

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said the government wants to bring back the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ahead of his 100th birth anniversary in 2020. The foreign ministry is actively working on bringing back the killers of Bangabandhu. We want to bring the killers back before celebrating his 100th birth anniversary, he added. The minister came up with the statement while distributing special stipends to students on the occasion of Bangabandhus birth anniversary, organised by the law department of Dhaka University. Since the verdict in the Bangabandhu killing case, the government made efforts through diplomatic channels, intelligence and the Interpol to bring back the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu. On November 19, 2009, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld a High Court (HC) Verdict, confirming the death sentence of 12 people, including six killers who had assassinated Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975. Since then, the government has been continuing its efforts to extradite the six killers. They are: Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Maj. (retd) Noor Chowdhury, Maj. (retd) Rashed Chowdhury, Capt. Abdul Majed and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan. Five of the convictsSyed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, and Mohiuddin Ahmedwere executed on January 27, 2010. The other killer, Aziz Pasha, died in Zimbabwe in 2001. The government has so far located two fugitive killersNoor Chowdhury, who is now staying in Canada, and Rashed Chowdhury, who is now in the US. It is deeply engaged in various discussions with the US and Canadian governments about their extradition, but legal complexities have created an obstacle in the extradition process. The US government has repeatedly been requested to extradite Rashed by cancelling his political asylum, but no headway has been made in this regard. On the other hand, Noor is now facing legal matters in a Canadian court about the cancellation of his asylum there. The final hearing has been completed recently, but no judgment has been given over his status in Canada. During his recent visit to Sylhet, the foreign minister at a programme said that he would discuss the issue of bringing back Bangabandhus killer from the US during his next visit there. According to souces, Momen is likely to visit the US on April 6.