HuJI leader Mufti Hannan seeks clemency from the President

Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) chief Mufti Hannan has sought presidential clemency as a last resort to save himself.

The death-row convict of 2004 grenade attack is being kept at the Kashimpur high-security prison at Gazipur.

Hannan sought president’s pardon admitting guilt on Monday evening, Jail Superintendent Md Mizanur Rahman told bdnews24.com.

There will be no legal bar in executing the death sentence for Hannan if the president rejects his plea, jail authorities said adding that “they are prepared.”

Mufti’s accomplice Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon also pleaded guilty and sought pardon from the president.

Bipul is at Kashimpur Jail while Ripon is at Sylhet Central Jail. "He (Ripon) signed the petition around 12pm. We have forwarded it to our headquarters in Dhaka," Senior Jail Superintendent Md Sagir Mia said.

Earlier, Hannan had filed for a review of his death sentence, which the Appellate Division turned down on Sunday. Preparations for his execution started since then.

The verdict was read out to Hannan on Mar 21. The death warrant also arrived from the Sylhet Central Jail that night which was read out to him, Mizan said.

According to jail code, death-row convicts get seven days to petition for the pardon after the death warrants are read to them. Hannan pleaded in due time, said the jail super.

On May 21, 2004, the then British high commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet. Three including two police personnel died in the attack although the High Commissioner survived.

Hannan, Bipul and Ripon were given death penalty in the case on Dec 23, 2008, while two other accused Mohibullah and Abu Jandal received life term in prison.

Seven years into the announcement of that verdict, the High Court started hearing the appeal of the defence and the death reference on Jan 6 this year.

The High Court upheld the verdict of the trial court on Feb 11 and published the full verdict on Apr 28.

Mufti challenged the order but got turned down by the Appellate Division on Dec 7 last year. On Jan 17, the convicts pleaded for a review of the order.

Top HuJI leader Mufti Hannan hails from Gopalganj and is infamous for being one of the initiators of militant activities in Bangladesh.

He is also facing multiple cases for trying to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A group of local people in Gopalganj held a demonstration on Monday demanding the quick execution of the sentence for Hannan.