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3 Sentenced to Death for Killing Bangla Leaders
 A Dhaka court yesterday handed down death sentence to three retired non-commissioned army officers and life term to 12 retired senior military officers for their role in the 1975 "Jail Killings" of four people seen as heroes of the independence struggle. The court acquitted four politicians — former state ministers Taheruddin Thakur, Shah Moazzem Hossain, K.M. Obaidur Rahman MP and Nurul Islam Manju - and a serving Additional Secretary in the Foreign Ministry Major Khairuzzaman. Risalder Moslemuddin, Dafadar Marfat Ali and Dafader Abul Hashem Mridha were given the death sentence in absence. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Matiur Rahman pronounced the judgment at a makeshift court near Dhaka Central Jail.Lt. Col. (retired) Faruque Rahman, Lt. Col. (retired) Khandoker Abdur Rashid, Lt. Col. (retired) Shariful Huq Dalim, Lt. Col. (retired) S.H.M.B. Noor Chowdhury, Lt. Col. (retired) A.M. Rashed Chowdhury, Lt. Col. (retired) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Maj. (retired) Bazlul Huda, Maj. (retired) Ahmed Sharful Hossain, Maj. (retired) A.K.M. Mohiuddin Ahmed, Capt. (retired) Abdul Majed, Capt. (retired) Kismat Hashem and Capt. (retired) Nazmul Hossain Ansar were given life term, nine of them in their absence. They were accused of killing four national heroes - Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, M. Mansur Ali and A.H.M. Qamaruzzaman - inside Dhaka Central Jail on Nov. 3, 1975. "It is a great irony that those who played such a vital role in the independence of Bangladesh came to be killed by citizens of an independent Bangladesh," said Judge Matiur Rahman. The country has been riveted by the highly politically sensitive case for nearly three decades. The four were close associates of Bangladesh's first President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The killings took place soon after Sheikh Mujib, who had led a bloody struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971, was assassinated in a coup along with more than 20 members of his family. Twenty-one politicians and army officers were charged in 1975 with the jail murders but one has since died. Of the 20 defendants still alive, three were in custody for their role in the assassination of Sheikh Mujib and five were on bail. The remaining 12 are believed to have fled the country and were tried in their absence. Posted by: Fred 2004-10-21 |
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