Mufti Hannan seeks presidential clemency

Death row convict Mufti Abdul Hannan, chief of banned Islamist outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islam Bangladesh (Huji), today sought presidential clemency, according to the jail authorities.

Hannan filed the mercy petition around 6:00pm, our Gazipur correspondent reports quoting Monirul Islam, deputy jailer of Kashimpur High Security Jail.

The copy of the verdict was read out to Mufti Hannan on March 22 and he told jail authorities that he would file a mercy petition to the president.

Bipul, an aide of Mufti Hannan and another condemned convict, may also seek presidential clemency, the jailer added.

Earlier today, Delwar Hossain Ripon, another aide of Hannan who was awarded death penalty for carrying out a grenade attack on then UK envoy in Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury in 2004, sought presidential clemency.

On May 21, 2004, three people were killed and around 70 others, including Anwar Choudhury, hurt in the grenade attack at the Sylhet shrine after Juma prayers.

The Bangladesh-born British diplomat, then barely 18 days into his new assignment, suffered minor leg injuries.

The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 23, 2008, sentenced Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death, and Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal to life imprisonment in the case.

The HC on February 11 last year confirmed the capital punishments for the three and upheld the life sentences of Ovi and Abu Zandal.

On December 7, 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed the convicts' appeals and upheld their penalties for carrying out the attack.