Chief Justice Sinha says misinterpretation of ‘life term’ causing confusion in Bangladesh

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha says the meaning of the ‘life imprisonment’ sentence is being misinterpreted in Bangladesh, creating confusion.

Anyone awarded this sentence will have to be in jail until his or her death, he clarified at a programme in Gazipur’s Kashimpur prison following a visit on Sunday.

Discussing today’s incompatibilities with many laws and penal codes introduced during the British era, the chief justice said there was ongoing confusion regarding the ‘life term’.

“Now you think life imprisonment equals to 30 years in jail. Everyone just assumes that is correct. Actually it’s a misinterpretation. Sentenced to life means for the rest of life.”

But even if a convict’s time to serve in prison is reduced, it’s not less than 30 years, he added.

During the British era, convicts were not imprisoned for life, Justice Sinha said, they were exiled.

“Our jail code is very old. It became a mess during the British era.”

Justice Sinha also spoke about the verdicts delivered by different benches of which he was a member in many cases including those on the Bangabandhu assassination, murder of four national leaders in jail in 1975 and the 1971 war crimes.

“There were some inconsistencies in the Bangabandhu assassination case verdict. I was able to amend them. But in the Jail Killing case, it’s sad but true that I alone had to give a dissenting verdict. There was a conspiracy in the case.

“The conspiracy was proved. But the conspirators were not punished. I was shocked. Those who plotted the murder should be punished.”