GAZIPUR: The copy of the Supreme Court’s verdict that rejected Harkatul Jihad top leader Mufti Abdul Hannan’s review petition against his death penalty has reached the Kashimpur High Security Jail.

The prison’s superintendent Mizanur Rahman on Wednesday (March 22) informed that the verdict copy of Appellate Division of the apex court reached the jail after midnight on Tuesday (March 21).  

According to the jail code, Mufti Hannan and other will be heard the review verdict. Then, they will have the option to seek the president’s clemency. If they don’t seek the presidential clemency, the jail authorities will start process to execute their capital punishment.  

Mufti Hannan and another death-row convict Sharif Shahidul Alam Bipul have been put in the condemned cells of the high security jail, while and another convict Delwar Hossain alias Ripon in the condemned cell of Sylhet Central Jail. A copy of the verdict was also sent to Sylhet Central Jail.

Earlier on March 21, the Appellate Division released the five-page text of its full verdict on the website of the Supreme Court, reconfirming the capital punishment of Mufti Hannan and the two other militants for 2004 grenade attack on the-then UK envoy Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet.

On March 19, the Appellate Division bench of the apex court rejected review plea of Mufti Hannan and two others.

On December 7 in 2016, the Appellate Division upheld High Court’s verdict that had sentenced death penalty to Mufti Hannan and the two others. The 65-page full verdict of the SC was published on January 18 in 2017.

Later on February 23 in 2017, Mufti Hannan filed the review plea with the Supreme Court.  

On May 21 in 2004, three people, including two cops, were killed and at least 50 others, including the-then British high commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury, were injured in a grenade attack at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) in Sylhet.

BDST: 1020 HRS, MAR 22, 2017
EHJ/SMS