The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a review petition filed by Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) member Asadur Islam Arif, pleading to review his death sentence in two Jhalakathi judges murder case in 2005. Rejecting his plea, the five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha cleared the way for execution of the death sentence in connection with the two judges killing case.
Senior assistant judges Sohel Ahammed and Jagannath Pare were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Purba Chadkati area of Jhalakathi town on November 14, 2005. On May 29, 2006, a Jhalakathi court sentenced to death for the murder of two judges seven leaders of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) -- its founder Shaykh Abdur Rahman, its military head Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, its majlish-e-shura members Ataur Rahman Sunny, Abdul Awal Molla alias Omar alias Shakil Ahmed, son-in-law of Sheikh Rahman, Amjad Hossain alias Khalid Saifullah, suicide bomber Iftekhar Hasan Al Mamun and Asadur Rahman Arif. Following an appeal by the defendants, the Appellate Division had also upheld death penalty of six JMB leaders in the sensational killing case. All the convicts except Asadur Rahman Arif were hanged on March 29, 2007, as he was on the run at that time. He was arrested on July 10, 2007 from Mymensingh and later filed an appeal against his sentence.