The executions of Mufti Hannan, top leader of the Harkat-ul-Jihadi al Islami (HuJI), and his two aides, Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon are likely to take place today (Wednesday). Mufti Hannan and Bipul will be executed at the Kashimpur High Security Prison in Gazipur, while Ripon’s execution will take place at the Sylhet Central Jail, sources in the jail department and the home ministry said. The jail authorities have completed the process of carrying out their death sentences, the sources added. The home ministry received the letter on rejection of their mercy petitions by the President on April 6 (Thursday). The prison authorities said they received the rejected petitions yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. The jail authorities said they have selected the hangmen at the respective prisons. The authorities concerned have tightened security in and around the two jails. Jail sources said the jail authorities will notify their families today (Wednesday) to have a last meeting with the three prisoners. The jail authorities also sent letters to the respective district administrations seeking the presence of executive magistrates and civil surgeons to attend the formalities during executions, the sources added.
According to the sources, HuJI chief Mufti Hannan has been kept in the condemned cell named “Himel” of the high-security prison in Gazipur.
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said they have started the process of carrying out the death sentences of the three militants as per the jail code.
In a last-ditch attempt, the three militants applied for mercy to President Md Abdul Hamid on March 27, but the President rejected their petitions.
In May 2004, the then British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack while coming out of Hazrat Shahjalal’s shrine in his hometown of Sylhet. Police assistant sub-inspector Kamal Uddin died instantly in the attack. Constable Rubel Ahmed and one Habil Miah succumbed to injuries in hospital. The envoy was injured, along with nearly 40 employees of the Sylhet district administration. In December last year, the Appellate Division upheld their death sentences. The trial court had sentenced two others to life imprisonment. They moved the HC, but failed to secure a verdict in their favour. Their sentences stand upheld as they did not challenge them in the Appellate Division.