President pardons a criminal twice

The president has granted mercy to convicted killer AHM Biplob for the second time in seven months. This time, Biplob's life sentence in each of two murder cases has been reduced to a 10-year imprisonment.
Biplob is the son of Abu Taher, an Awami League leader and mayor of Laxmipur municipality.
Earlier in July last year, Biplob was pardoned by President Zillur Rahman in the advocate Nurul Islam murder case, in which he was given death sentence.
A home ministry source yesterday said Biplob was given life term in each of BNP activist Kamal murder case of 2001 and Shibir activist Mohsin murder case of 2000.
The ministry on February 8 issued a letter, stating that the president being kind has reduced the life term convictions of AHM Biplob (inmate no-2009/A) to 10 years rigorous imprisonment, effective from the date of the jail warrant.
The president has also pardoned Biplob's associate Babor, who had also been awarded life sentence in the Kamal murder case. His sentence has been reduced by seven years, added the source, requesting anonymity.
The two are now serving their jail terms in Laxmipur jail.
Biplob had been convicted in absentia in all the three cases. After being on the run for more than 10 years, he surrendered before a court on April 6 last year.
His father then filed mercy petitions to the president, following which the latter granted Biplob clemency in the Nurul Islam murder case last year, said the source.
The incident drew widespread criticism from different sections, including rights groups, legal experts and the media.
Babor, who was the secretary of Laxmipur Chhatra League, was convicted in 2004, said his brother Saiful Hasan Palash, himself president of Laxmipur Jubo League.
Their mother Nurjahan Begum appealed to the president last year for clemency, Saiful told The Daily Star over the phone.
The constitution empowers the president to grant pardons, reprieves and respites and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.
VICTIMS' FAMILY REACTIONS
“We cannot just accept it. Where will common people go if the president pardons a killer on political considerations?" asked Md Kamal, a nephew of the slain Mohsin. Kamal was also a prosecution witness of the case.
Contacted by The Daily Star, relatives of Kamal expressed their "inability" to comment, saying the accomplices of the killers are already threatening them and giving them a hard time.
THE KILLINGS
On September 18, 2000, advocate Nurul Islam, the then organising secretary of Laxmipur BNP, was abducted and hacked to death by Biplob and his associates.
The Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal of Chittagong on December 9, 2003, condemned five people, including Biplob, to death for the murder.
BNP activist Kamal was killed at his house in front of his parents by Biplob and his gang in October 2001.
A Speedy Trial Tribunal in Chittagong handed down death sentences on Biplob's two brothers -- Salahuddin Tipu and Abdul Jabbar Lablu. Biplob himself, his father Abu Taher and three others -- Khalek, Babor and Marju -- got life sentences in the case.
The High Court later relieved all but Biplob and Khalek of the charges.
Shibir activist Mohsin was beaten to death on September 5, 2000, near Adarsha High School in Laxmipur.
In a case filed with Laxmipur Police Station, Biplob, Lablu, and Babor were each sentenced to life term in prison.
NHRC CHIEF REACTS
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Mizanur Rahman reacted sharply to the presidential clemencies, saying the nation must come out of this culture.
A convict in a criminal case should in no way be forgiven, he said at a programme at the Cox's Bazar District Administration yesterday.