Staff Reporter :
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday upheld the death penalty of three members of banned organization Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi), including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, in a case filed for the grenade attack on the then UK High
Commissioner in Bangladesh in 2004. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha delivered the verdict after dismissing the appeals moved by the convicts.
The two other condemned convicts are Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon.
Advocate Mohammad Ali took part in the hearing on behalf of Mufti Hannan and Bipul, while the State appointed Advocate Md Helal Uddin Molla represented Ripon.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed were present in the court at the time of delivering the verdict.
Bashir Ahmed told the reporters that the two accused convicts appealed against High Court verdict and the State appointed a lawyer for another accused. The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of the three. The two accused who got life imprisonment in the HC verdict didn’t appeal. All the accused were in jail, he said.
Advocate Mohammad Ali, a defence lawyer, told the reporters that they would move petitions with the Appellate Division seeking review of its judgment after receiving full text of the verdict. The British High Commission, welcomed the conviction of those involved, but opposed the death penalty, reports AFP.
The HC, on February 11 this year, upheld death penalty to three and the life imprisonment to Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal, also Huji members.
On May 21, 2004, former UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anowar Choudhury and 70 others were subjected to the grenade attack, when they visited Sylhet.
The Bangladeshi origin envoy, barely 18 days into his new assignment, suffered minor leg injuries in the grenade attack after Jumah prayers.
Kamal Uddin, an ASI of police, was spot death and Rubel Ahmed, a constable of police, and another person named Habil Mia died in hospital.
Police filed a case with the Sylhet Kotowali Police Station against unnamed person on May 21, 2004. After investigation, police submitted the charge-sheet on June 7, 2007 against Mufti Abdul Hannan, his brother Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, Delwar Hossain alias Ripon. Later police included the name of Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal in the charge sheet.
On December 23, 2008, the Judge of Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Shamim Md Afjal declared the verdict sentencing Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death, and Ovi and Abu Zandal to life imprisonment for the grenade attack and the killings.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday upheld the death penalty of three members of banned organization Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJi), including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, in a case filed for the grenade attack on the then UK High
Commissioner in Bangladesh in 2004. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha delivered the verdict after dismissing the appeals moved by the convicts.
The two other condemned convicts are Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon.
Advocate Mohammad Ali took part in the hearing on behalf of Mufti Hannan and Bipul, while the State appointed Advocate Md Helal Uddin Molla represented Ripon.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed were present in the court at the time of delivering the verdict.
Bashir Ahmed told the reporters that the two accused convicts appealed against High Court verdict and the State appointed a lawyer for another accused. The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of the three. The two accused who got life imprisonment in the HC verdict didn’t appeal. All the accused were in jail, he said.
Advocate Mohammad Ali, a defence lawyer, told the reporters that they would move petitions with the Appellate Division seeking review of its judgment after receiving full text of the verdict. The British High Commission, welcomed the conviction of those involved, but opposed the death penalty, reports AFP.
The HC, on February 11 this year, upheld death penalty to three and the life imprisonment to Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal, also Huji members.
On May 21, 2004, former UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anowar Choudhury and 70 others were subjected to the grenade attack, when they visited Sylhet.
The Bangladeshi origin envoy, barely 18 days into his new assignment, suffered minor leg injuries in the grenade attack after Jumah prayers.
Kamal Uddin, an ASI of police, was spot death and Rubel Ahmed, a constable of police, and another person named Habil Mia died in hospital.
Police filed a case with the Sylhet Kotowali Police Station against unnamed person on May 21, 2004. After investigation, police submitted the charge-sheet on June 7, 2007 against Mufti Abdul Hannan, his brother Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul, Delwar Hossain alias Ripon. Later police included the name of Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal in the charge sheet.
On December 23, 2008, the Judge of Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Shamim Md Afjal declared the verdict sentencing Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death, and Ovi and Abu Zandal to life imprisonment for the grenade attack and the killings.
