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Download PDF A federal judge in California has stayed the proceedings for seven days against Lt Col (retd) Mohiuddin Ahmed, the condemned killer of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, after fresh hearing of his case.
In his ruling on Thursday, the judge charged the Department of Homeland Security with misleading Congress, particularly those members fighting the deportation order against the convicted killer.
However, Mohiuddin’s status remains the same. He has been denied asylum status in US and is in danger of being sent back to Dhaka.
Mohiuddin has been sentenced to death in absentia in 1998 for his role in the August 15, 1975 coup.
Bangladesh’s founding father and first president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, most members of his family and some security officers were killed on August 15. His two daughters–Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana–survived the massacre as they were outside the country on that fateful night.
Media reports in US and Canada said the seven-day stay of proceedings is an opening that allows Mohiuddin’s family in Nova Scotia and the Canadian government–if it has the will–to argue that Ahmed be sent to Canada instead as a refugee.
His (Mohiuddin) supporters in Congress want the Bush administration to allow him deported to Canada, where he would not face a return to Bangladesh. Canada does not deport people to countries where they may face death penalty.
There are indications that Canadian officials will accept a refugee appeal for Mohiuddin, but only if the US Department of Homeland Security or the White House approves his deportation to Canada. Ottawa does not want to interfere with American court decisions or offend Washington directly on this issue.
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