Jubilation, sigh of deep satisfaction all over

Clockwise from Top-Left: Sheikh Kabir Hossain, cousin of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, places wreaths at the mausoleum of the great leader at Tungipara in Gopalganj immediately after the pronouncement of final verdict in Bangabandhu murder case yesterday, people offer prayer of gratitude in Barisal, jubilant people bring out a procession in Moulvibazar and Rajshahi city Awami League arrange distribution of sweets to celebrate the occasion.Photo: STARStar Report

People across the country have expressed deep satisfaction at the final verdict of Bangabandhu murder case that came long 34 years after the gruesome killing on August 15 in 1975.

Our correspondents from different districts sent dispatches stating that people in general expressed jubilation at the news that the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court verdict of death sentence to 12 killers and rejected the appeals filed by five of the convicts.

People expressed hope that the verdict will be executed soon to rid the nation of the disgrace of losing the father of the nation in a bloody putsch.

People from the area and other places gathered at Bangabandhu's mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj district yesterday to offer special prayers and place wreaths, reports a correspondent from Gopalganj.

Commerce Minister Faruq Khan and Bangabandhu's cousin Sheikh Kabir Hossain were present there.

People in Chittagong port city expressed satisfaction and joy over the Bangabandhu murder case verdict, reports our staff correspondent.

The verdict will bring back people's faith in the country's judicial system, Chittagong University Vice Chancellor Prof Abu Yusuf said.

Eminent social scientist and Premier University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Anupam Sen said, "The judgment removed the scar and disgrace that haunted us over the last three decades."

Ekattorer Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee former general secretary and Projonmo-71 Chittagong chapter President Prof Gazi Saleh Uddin said the verdict will help to stop politics of killing. He urged the government to bring back the fugitive killers from abroad.

Our staff correspondent from Khulna reports: People in the southern divisional headquarters were glued to TV screen to hear the historic verdict yesterday.

Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque expressed gratitude to the Almighty for enabling the judges to pronounce the right verdict.

Khulna CPB leader advocate Feroze Ahmed said the verdict will remain as an example for those who want to be involved in such gruesome murder in future.

Leaders of Khulna Awami League and its associate organisations laid floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman at 1:30pm.

Our staff correspondent reports from Sylhet: The district and city units of Awami League arranged a doa mahfil at the office of Ibrahim Smrity Sangsad at Sobhanighat in the city after pronouncement of the verdict.

Speaking at a brief rally after the doa mahfil, Sylhet Mayor and city AL chief Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, district AL President ANM Shafique and General secretary Iftekhar Hossain Shamim expressed gratitude to the Almighty.

Moulvibazar district AL brought out a procession hailing the Supreme Court's verdict on Bangabandhu murder case yesterday evening, reports our correspondent.

Expressing satisfaction at the verdict, people in Rajshahi city demanded its immediate execution, reports our staff correspondent.

Awami League and its front organisations brought out processions hailing the verdict.

“The verdict upheld the truth and let down all conspiracies of the past. The verdict will increase the people's confidence in the judiciary,” Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said.

Rajshahi district unit of BNP President Azizur Rahman said. "The verdict established the rule of law in the country. No killing should go untried."

Md Tayeed Uddin Khan, a former law student of Rajshahi, who along with another law student Md Mohsinul Haque had lodged the first complaint on the August 15 killings with Dhanmondi Police Station in Dhaka on August 31 in 1996, yesterday told The Daily Star, “I am happy that the verdict has been delivered satisfactorily. The nation cannot erase the stigma for delaying the trial until the verdict is executed.”

Congratulating the Bangabandhu murder case verdict, the teachers, students, socio-cultural and political organisations of Rajshahi University (RU) yesterday demanded immediate execution of the verdict, reports a correspondent from Rajshahi University.

"The verdict will remain as a milestone to establish rule of law in the country," RU Vice Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan said.