Bangladesh News

An uncertainty suddenly raised its head regarding the executions of seven condemned militants of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, as the government yesterday said it has no intention of executing them before Eid-ul-Fitr even if they do not appeal within seven days of signing of the death warrants.

Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed said yesterday that the government does not want to execute anyone during Ramadan.

Whether the executions can be carried out before the present government hands over power on October 28 has also become a topic of discussion as many are inquiring whether the government is going to shift from its previous position of favouring executions of the condemned Islamist militants before it hands over power to a caretaker government.

Asked whether the executions can be carried out before the present government’s tenure ends, Moudud did not reply directly but told reporters, “I’ll discuss the matter with the home ministry.”

Iftekhar Al Mamun, one of the condemned seven, already appealed against his death sentence, the inspector general of prisons told The Daily Star yesterday evening. Another one of them is on the run.

Family sources said two other condemned — Khaled Saifullah and Abdul Awal are also preparing to appeal.

Meantime, Rafiqul Islam, brother of condemned Bangla Bhai, told reporters last night that a relative of them will appeal against Bangla Bhai’s death sentence maintaining legal process.

Talking on the reason for not executing the condemned militants during Ramadan, the law minister said the jail code does not allow executions during Ramadan.

But, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Zakir Hasan said there is no such prohibition in the jail code. “But there is a government circular of the early 80’s which says executions cannot be carried out during Ramadan.”

He however said who among the condemned militants will not appeal during the stipulated time can be executed before the present government hands over power.

According to the rules, the condemned militants, to whom the death warrants were read out on Friday and Saturday, will be able to appeal against the death penalties confirmed by the High Court on August 31, within seven days of receiving the death warrants. The deadlines for appeals will end on September 29 and 30.

If any of them do not appeal by the stipulated time, he can be executed only after 21 days following the deadlines for appeals. “They can be executed not before three weeks and not after four weeks following the deadlines for appeals,” said the IG Prisons.

The situation remains that if the condemned do not appeal against the verdict by Friday or Saturday, the prison authorities can execute them on any of the seven days between October 22 and 28.

“Since there is a bar on executing the condemned during Ramadan that will end on October 23 or 24, they can be executed on any of the four or five days till October 28, said the IG Prisons.

There is no provision that bars executions on holidays or weekends, he added.

Coincidentally, the present government is scheduled to hand over power to a caretaker government on October 28.

Amid demands and pressures from a cross section of people at home and abroad for punishment of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militants — who spread a chill of horror by carrying out countrywide near-simultaneous bomb attacks on August 17 last year and subsequent suicide bomb attacks — the government initiated a process of quickening the trials of some militant cases including the one filed in connection with the killing of judges in Jhalakathi.

After the trial court sentenced the seven including JMB kingpins Abdur Rahman, Bangla Bhai, Ataur Rahman Sunny, Awal, Saifullah, Mamun and absconding Arifur Rahman to death on May 29, the government ordered quick preparation of the paper-book (history of the case) and moved to hold the hearing of death reference on a priority basis. The High Court, on August 31, confirmed the death sentences.

Over the last few months, the government expressed its determination to execute the condemned seven Islamist militants before its tenure ends. But all of a sudden, the law minister yesterday said the government do not want to execute them during Ramadan.