HuJI leader Mufti Hannan might seek presidential clemency, say jail authorities

Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) chief Mufti Hannan and another death-row convict in the grenade attack on UK envoy may go for presidential clemency as a last ditch attempt to to save themselves, say prison authorities.

The Appellate Division verdict rejecting their review petitions reached the Kashimpur High Security Prison at Gazipur after Tuesday midnight.

The verdicts were read out to the death-row convicts on Wednesday morning, said Kashimpur prison's Superintendent Md Mizanur Rahman.

"They hinted at seeking presidential clemency, but are yet to give a final decision," he said.

Another death-row convict in the 2004 attack is being kept at the Sylhet Central Jail, where the authorities also read him out the verdict and asked whether he would seek the president's pardon.

Sylhet's Senior Jail Superintendent Md Shafiullah said the convict told them he will give his decision after discussing it with his lawyer.

After losing the last legal option following rejection of review pleas, the three are now left with the only option of seeking clemency by admitting guilt.

File photo shows the entrance of Gazipur's Kashimpur prison where death-row convicts Mufti Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul are being kept. The third convict, Delwar Hossain Ripon is lodged at the Sylhet Central Jail.

Kashimpur High Security Prison's Jailer Bikash Raihan said the death-row convicts, according to the jail code, will get seven days to petition for pardon after the verdict is read out to them.

He said Mufti Hannan and the other death-row convict, who are lodged at his prison, have asked to meet their relatives.

If the president rejects their pleas, the prison authorities will start the process to execute the verdict.

Prison officials hinted that the executions of three convicts will take place at the prisons they are lodged in.

In May 2004, then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack while coming out of the Hazrat Shahjalal’s shrine in his hometown Sylhet.

Police's Assistant Sub-inspector Kamal Uddin died instantly. Constable Rubel Ahmed and one Habil Miah succumbed to their injuries in a hospital later.

The envoy was injured along with nearly 40 employees of the Sylhet district administration.

Mufti Hannan was arrested in September 2005 from Dhaka's Badda.

In December 2008, a Sylhet court ordered death sentences for Mufti Hannan and two other HuJI activists, Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon

It also ordered life in prison for two others, Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman and Mufti Moin Uddin alias Abu Zandal.

All of the five convicts, who are in jail now, moved the High Court, but failed to get a verdict in their favour.

HuJI leader Mufti Hannan fought in Afghanistan against the Soviet invasion in late 80s, according to intelligence officials. File photo

Mufti Hannan and the two other death-row convicts challenged the decision at the Appellate Division, which on Dec 7 last year

upheld

the sentences.

As the last legal option, they filed a petition for a review of the verdict, which was also turned down down by the court on Mar 19.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court published the full verdict, which rejected the review pleas and confirmed death for the trio, after the judges signed it.

Mufti Hannan is said to be the mastermind of 13 terrorist attacks, including an attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's life, perpetrated by the banned militant group Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI).

Educated at madrasas, Mufti Hannan hails from Gopalganj's Kotaliparha.

He faces trial for planting a bomb made with 76 kg of explosives near the venue of a public rally addressed by Sheikh Hasina at Kotaliparha in 2000.

Mufti Hannan has been sentenced to death for the 2001 bombings at Dhaka's Ramna Park on the Bengali New Year.

On Mar 6 this year, a prison van carrying him from court to Gazipur's Kashimpur prison came under a bomb attack, in what the police say was an attempt to snatch him.