Mahmudur Rahman, Shafik Rehman among 5 jailed seven years over 'conspiracy to murder' Sajeeb Wazed Joy in US

Mahmudur Rahman, former energy adviser to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, and journalist Shafik Rehman, along with three other people, have been sentenced to seven years in prison in a case concerning the "conspiracy to kidnap and murder" Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT Affairs Adviser.

The convicts – Shafik Rehman, former editor of the Jai Jai Din, Mahmudur Rahman, former acting editor of Dainik Amar Desh; Mohammad Ullah Mamun, former vice-president of BNP's cultural organisation Jasas; Rizvi Ahmed alias Caesar, Mamun's son; and Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, a US expatriate businessman – have each received five years imprisonment for the charges under penal code 365/120b, along with an additional two years imprisonment for charges under 124/120b, according to sources.

All the convicts have also been fined Tk10,000 for these charges, with a requirement to serve an additional two months in prison in case of failure to pay the fine.

The verdict was delivered by Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Noor on Thursday afternoon, a source from the court confirmed to The Business Standard.

On 13 November 2022, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, testified in the case against journalist Shafik Rehman and five others for their involvement in a conspiracy to kidnap and murder him in the USA.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Noor recorded Joy's statement as the 10th testimony out of 15 in the case.

Joy stated that high-level leaders of the BNP were involved in the conspiracy to kill him, and a related case was filed in the United States, resulting in penalties for individuals including FBI agent Robert Lactit, Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu told the media. 

The public prosecutor said Joy testified in the American case as well. "The plot was drawn at the residence of journalist Shafik Rehman in Bangladesh. Later, various documents were seized from Rehman's house."

Joy sought justice in the court, added Abdullah Abu.

According to the complaint, leaders of BNP's cultural organisation Jasas, including Mohammad Ullah Mamun, convened at Jasas' offices in Bangladesh, the United States, and the United Kingdom prior to September 2011. They planned the abduction and murder of Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

The case was filed on 3 August 2015 by DB Police Inspector Fazlur Rahman, naming Mahmudur Rahman, Mohammad Ullah Mamun, Rizvi Ahmed alias Caesar, and Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan as accused.

In February 2018, the police filed the charge sheet, which also included journalist Shafik Rehman as one of the accused.