Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said the government is trying its utmost to implement the verdict in the case over the brutal killing of four national leaders inside the Dhaka Central Jail.
He further said “As soon as we find the accused within reach, their death sentences will be implemented.”
The home minister said after paying homage to the four slain national leaders at the old central jail on Nazimuddin Road in the capital Dhaka marking the Jail Killing Day.
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Asaduzzaman Khan said, today is the day of jail killing. There are two heinous killings in Bangladesh. One of which was on August 15 and the other on November 3. Everyone knows who were involved in the killing. Many murderers have been tried, the trial of the jail killing will also be finished.
“On the day of jail killing, we first remember Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with deep respect. I also remember the four national leaders with deep respect”, he continued.
He said “We know that prisons are the safest place in the world. But everyone knows how the murder was committed in violation of the law. The trial of Bangabandhu's assassination has been held and the verdict has been partially executed.”
“We are looking for the fugitives. The death sentence will be implemented when we find the accused. We are doing our utmost to enforce the verdict of jail killing”, he stated.
Family members of the four national leaders were also present.
On this day in 1975, Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain Mansur Ali and AHM Quamaruzzaman -- all close confidants of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- were killed by some disgruntled army officers inside Dhaka Central Jail. They were arrested on August 23 for refusing to join the cabinet of Khondoker Moshtaq.
The killings were a sequel of the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15 the same year.
More than 17 years ago, a trial court sentenced the perpetrators of the heinous crime, but the government could not implement the verdict against 11 of the convicted killers of the four national leaders.
Among them, Captain Abdul Majed, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in the Jail Killing case, was executed for his conviction in the case over the murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The other 10 convicts are fugitives.
Muslemuddin, Marfat Ali Shah and Abdul Hashem Mridha were sentenced to death, while Khondaker Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haq Dalim, Noor Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury, Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Kismat Hasem and Nazmul Hossain were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Six of them were also convicted in the Bangabandhu murder case.
Colonel (Retd) Noor Chowdhury is reported to be in Canada and Lt Colonel (Retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury in the United States.