Captain (suspended) Abdul Majed, the death row convicted self- confessed killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has no other option, but to beg presidential clemency, said leading jurists.
Former Law Minister, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed said, “There is only one step for the arrested convicted killer. And it is submitting a mercy petition to the president.”
Captain Majed had lost his time frame to submit appeal against his death penalty, the leading jurist added.
There is a time limitation to submit an appeal. The time frame has ended. Now he has no such petition, he opined.
Responding to a question, Barrister Shafiq said, “It is up to the president whether he will be granted presidential clemency at this stage.”
Law ministry and home ministry will now take necessary steps to implement the verdict, Barrister Shafiq said.
In this situation, what they will do, also depends on the two ministries, he continued.
Attorney General Barrister Mahbubey Alam said, “Procedure to implement the verdict will be followed by the course of law.”
He was asked whether the killer will get the chance of appeal.
In response, the chief law officer of the country said, “I should not reply to this question.”
His (Captain Majed) lawyer will answer this question, he said.
Court sources said no lawyer has been appointed for him till now.
On November 19 in 2009, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of Abdul Majed and 11 other self-confessed killers of Bangabandhu.
On January 27 in 2010, five of them were executed in Dhaka Central Jail. Six other convicts including Abdul Majed remained at large. In June 2001, another condemned killer died in Zimbabwe.
In 2010, a task force comprising ministers and high officials of the foreign, law and home ministries was formed to locate and bring back the fugitives.
The government had also made global appeals in bilateral, regional and international forums to track down the culprits.
