Efforts to track Bangabandhu killers to end with their repatriation only: Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said government's efforts to track the fugitive killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will only be ended with their repatriation and execution of court's sentence.

"…I just want to say one thing, as long as we are not able to bring them back and execute the sentence, our attempt to locate them and bring them back would continue and that only be ended with their repatriation," he said.

The law minister said these while addressing a virtual briefing this evening from his Gulshan residence.

"Killer Noor Chowdhury is hiding in Canada and he told the Canadian government that he has been sentenced to death in Bangladesh. There is a law in Canada, under which they don't send any convicted person back to any such country, where he can be executed. Taking that opportunity, Chowdhury is now living there," Anisul said.

The law minister further said the Bangladesh government had sought documents from the Canadian government about the type of application filed by killer Noor Chowdhury seeking asylum, and why they allowed him to live in their country in line with that application.

"Canadian government had initially denied us, saying they cannot provide those documents because of their Privacy Act. We then appointed a lawyer and filed a plea with their court in this regard, Canadian court has finally said those documents can be provided," he added.

About another convicted killer Rashed Chowdhury, the law minister said he had been given political asylum in the US, adding, "We are now observing the current situation regarding that and continuing talks about progress on the matter."

"About the remaining three killers, we don't know about their current whereabouts. Our search for them is on, and we think we would be successful in this regard," he added.

Twelve ex-military officers were sentenced to death for the August 15, 1975 killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members and six of them were executed by now, while one died a natural death as he was on the run abroad.

Sacked lieutenant colonels Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed and sacked major Bazlul Huda were hanged at Dhaka Central Jail on January 28, 2010, after a protracted legal procedure while the delayed trial process began in 1996 when an infamous indemnity law was scrapped as it was protecting the assassins from justice until then.

Another convicted killer dismissed army captain Abdul Mazed was hanged on April 12, 2020, at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj. Another convict, sacked colonel Rashed Pasha, died a natural death in Zimbabwe while he was on the run.