Dhaka – The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Sunday upheld the death sentence of Mufti Hannan and two others in a case filed over a grenade attack on former British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury in Sylhet. The court rejected the review plea of the accused. The wqay is now clear for execution of the verdict, lawyers said.
Earlier in January the Supreme Court released the full text of its verdict that upheld the death penalty of three militants of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (Huji), including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, in connection with the 2004 grenade attack on a Sylhet shrine that killed three and injured 70, including then British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury.The two other death row convicts in the case are Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon.
The apex court released the verdict on January 18 clearing the way for the government to execute the three condemned militants.
The jail authorities were then to start the process of executing the three convicts after receiving the certified copy of the SC verdict, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said.
However, he said that the execution process could be halted if the convicts move any review petition before the SC against the judgement.
The defence lawyer of the convicts Advocate Mohammad Ali said that his clients will move a review petition within 30 days of receiving the copy of the apex court verdict.
Bangladesh-born Anwar Choudhury, barely 18 days into his new assignment in the country, suffered minor leg injuries in the grenade explosion after his Friday prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RM) in Sylhet.
The Kotowali police of Sylhet filed a case against unnamed accused. On July 31 in 2007, police submitted a chargesheet against four persons, including Mufti Hannan.
Later, police included Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal in a supplementary chargesheet.
The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 23, 2008, awarded three militants of Harkatul Jihad (Huji), including Mufti Hannan, death penalty in connection with the grenade attack.
Later the HC upheld the death penalty for three persons and life term imprisonment for two in connection with the case. – Staff Reporter
