SC grants leave-to-appeal against death sentences


FE Team | Published: September 24, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00


The Supreme Court (SC) Sunday granted the applications by the condemned prisoners seeking leave to appeal against their death sentences confirmed by the High Court in the Bangabandhu murder case, reports UNB.
A thee-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Justice M Tafazzal Islam, passed the order and asked the petitioners to file regular appeal by October 30.
The court in its order extended its stay on the execution of the death sentences until October 30 next.
The condemned petitioners are Lt Col (sacked) Syed Farooq Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Lt Col (retd) Muhiuddin Ahmed, Lt Col (retd) AKM Mahiuddin Ahmed and Major (retd) Bazlul Huda.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
A case was filed after two decades on October 2, 1996.
On November 8, 1998, a trial court awarded death sentences to 15 retired and dismissed army personnel for the carnage.
The High Court also upheld the capital punishment of 12 army men. Of them, five are now in jail, one died and the rest are still at large.
bdnews24.com adds: The regular appeals that come after approval for "petitions for leave to appeal" are meant to move against the High Court's 2001 verdict.
Failure to keep the regular appeals ready for hearing by Oct 30 will automatically "vacate" all the initial appeals, the court said.

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