Bangabandhu Killers: Suspend their gallantry awards

The High Court yesterday ordered the government to suspend the state gallantry awards for four convicted killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members.

The four are: Nur Chowdhury, Shariful Haque Dalim, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan.

Nur Chowdhury was awarded the title Bir Bikram, Shariful Haque Dalim Bir Uttam, and Rashed Chowdhury and Moslemuddin Khan were awarded the title Bir Protik for their contributions during the Liberation War in 1971.

The then government had given them the awards in 1973 and also issued a gazette notification to this effect on December 15 of the same year.

According to the gazette notification, seven valiant freedom fighters were awarded the title Bir Shrestha, 68 Bir Uttam, 175 Bir Bikram and 426 were awarded the title Bir Protik for their contributions during the Liberation War.

Yesterday, the HC also issued a rule asking the government authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why their inaction in cancelling the state gallantry awards of Nur Chowdhury, Shariful Haque Dalim, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan, as the convicted killers of the Father of the Nation and most of his family members, should not be declared illegal.

The gallantry awards of the four killers will remain suspended until the disposal of the rule, the court said.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Subir Nandi Das seeking necessary directives on this issue.

Subir Nandi submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on December 2 saying that the convicted killers of the Father of the Nation cannot have the state gallantry awards.

The state can cancel their awards under section 14 of the General Clauses Act, he said in the petition, adding that many countries, including the USA, have cancelled such awards for different reasons.

Lawyer Abdul Kaiyum Khan appeared for the petitioner while Assistant Attorney General Kalipado Mridha represented the state during the hearing on the petition yesterday.