No progress in repatriating the murderers of four national leaders

In 2014, the home ministry formed a special cell to bring back the fugitives who were convicted for murdering Bangabandhu, the four national leaders, and for crimes against humanity.  

However, there has been no visible progress of late in the activities of the cell. 

The four national leaders – Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, AHM Qamaruzzman and Captain Mansur Ali – were assassinated in the Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975. 

On April 15, 2013, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty on three convicts and the life imprisonment on 12 others.  

Of the convicts, Syed Faruq Rahman, Shahrier Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda and AKM Mohiuddin were executed on the night of January 27, 2010 for murdering Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

Of the ten fugitive convicts in the jail killing case, Moslem Uddin, Marfat Ali Shah and Abul Hashem Mridha face the death penalty. 

Khandkar Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haque Dalim, MHM B Nur Chowdhury, AM Rashed Chowdhury, Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Kismat Hossain and Nazmul Hossain Ansar have been sentenced to life imprisonment. 

It has been learnt that Abdul Majid, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, died abroad. 

Sources at the foreign ministry say that these fugitives are hiding in different countries including America, Canada and Pakistan. 

The secretary to the Security Service Division under the home ministry was made the head of the special cell formed in 2014 with 14 representatives from different ministries and agencies. 

Representatives from the law ministry and the foreign ministry with the rank of an additional secretary, the attorney general, the inspector general of police, the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion, the head of the investigating agency in the international crimes tribunal, were among the members of the cell. 

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Business Standard that only three meetings have been held since the formation of the special cell. "There has been no further progress. I have not received any invitation to attend any meeting of the cell since then." 

He further said that among the members, the foreign ministry, the home ministry and the police are supposed to play key roles in the cell. 

The chief law officer of the state thinks the cell cannot play any vital role in bringing back the fugitive convicts. 

Md Shahiduzzaman, secretary to the Security Service Division at the Ministry of Home Affairs, told The Business Standard, "The special cell is working. Police are in regular contact with Interpol to bring the fugitive convicts back home."

He said the activities of the cell are not limited to holding meetings. "Interpol is continuing its efforts." 

Current Law Minister Anisul Haque was the chief state counsel in the High Court and the Appellate Division for the case. He told The Business Standard, "The government is working sincerely to repatriate the fugitive convicts in the Bangabandhu and jail killing cases." 

He said most of the countries where the convicts have taken refuge do not support the death penalty. As a result, there are some difficulties in extraditing them. 

The minister further said the government is still trying to convince the countries diplomatically. "We hope to get a positive result soon."

Speaking to The Business Standard, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahrier Alam said the trial will be complete once the sentence has been carried out after bringing the convicts in the Bangabandhu and the jail killing cases back home from abroad. 

He added, "The foreign ministry is continuing its efforts to bring them back. However, we have to face various issues, including the legal issues of the respective countries."

The state minister hoped that it will finally be possible to carry out the sentences after bringing them back.  

Even though the heinous killings took place in 1975, the investigators filed a charge sheet at a Dhaka court on 15 October 1998, about 23 years after the incident. 

The Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka gave the verdict on October 4, 2004.   

In 2008, the High Court upheld the death penalty on Moslem and acquitted death-row convicts Marfat Ali and Hashem Mridha. 

The High Court also acquitted Faruq, Shahrieir Rashid, Bazlul Huda and AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court.  

On April 15, 2013, the Appellate Division headed by the Chief Justice upheld the judgement of the trial court.