Hannan to seek presidential clemency
Death row convict Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islam Bangladesh (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan would seek presidential clemency, according to the jail authorities.
“The copy of the verdict was read out to Mufti Hannan and he told us that he would file a mercy petition to the president,” Mizanur Rahman, senior jail superintendent of Kashimpur High Security Jail, told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said they did not notice any change in Hannan while the verdict was read out.
About meeting relatives, Mizanur said they did not receive any request from his family in this regard.
Meanwhile, Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal issued death warrants for Hannan and two other militants yesterday, a day after the Supreme Court released the full text of its verdict upholding their death penalties.
Sagir Mia, senior jail superintendent of Sylhet Central Jail, said they received the warrants from Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal around 6:15pm.
“We forwarded the copies of the warrants to Kashimpur jail as two convicts, including Hannan, were there,” he said.
The copy was read out to Ripon, one of the condemned, and he wished to talk to his lawyers and meet his family members, the jail superintendent added.
At a programme yesterday in front of old Dhaka Central Jail on Nazimuddin Road, Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin told reporters that the jail authorities had already taken necessary preparations for executing Hannan.
He said jail officials would take necessary actions as per jail code once they receive the warrant of execution.
On Tuesday, the SC released its full verdict that upheld its order confirming the death penalties of Hannan and two other militants in the case filed for the 2004 grenade attack on then UK high commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Chowdhury.
The release of the text of the apex court verdict that dismissed the review petitions of the three death row convicts cleared the way for the jail authorities to start the process for executing them.
The jail authorities could execute their death sentences after 21 days and before 28 days from Tuesday, under Provision 991 (VI) of the Jail Code.
In 2004, then UK envoy Anwar Chowdhury, who was born in Bangladesh, and 70 others were injured in the attack at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet. Three people, including a police official, were killed.
On December 23, 2008, the Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal sentenced Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death. Two other members of the banned militant outfit were sentenced to life in jail. They are Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal.
On February 11 last year, the HC confirmed the capital punishment for the three and upheld the life sentences of Ovi and Abu Zandal. On December 7 last year, the SC upheld the death penalties of Hannan, Bipul and Ripon. The trio filed petitions for reviews on February 23 this year.
Our Gazipur and Sylhet correspondents contributed to the report.
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