SC confirms JMB militant Asaduzzaman’s death penalty for Udichi office bombings in 2005

The Supreme Court has upheld the death verdict awarded to a militant of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for the bombings at Udichi’s office in Netrokona.

A four-strong bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha rejected an appeal filed by Asaduzzaman Chowdhury alias Panir on Wednesday.

In 2008, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 sentenced three including Asaduzzaman to death for the bombings that killed eight people in front of the cultural organisation’s office on Dec 8, 2005.

Siddikur Rahman aka Bangla Bhai and Ataur Rahman Sunny were exempted from the case after death penalties awarded to them in a separate case was implemented. 

Asaduzzaman filed a plea against his verdict when death reference for the case’s convicts reached the High Court for hearing. The High Court upheld the lower court’s verdict in 2014. 

He then filed an appeal against that order in the top appeals court, which came up for hearing on Wednesday. 

“The Appellate Division rejected his appeal to maintain the death penalty awarded to Asaduzzaman as his involvement is proven beyond reasonable doubt. He is now in prison,” said Deputy Attorney General Shashanka Shekhar Sarkar. 

The defence will file for a review, Asaduzzaman’s lawyer SM Shahjahan said. 

Salauddin aka Soheil and Yunus Ali were also sentenced to death for the bombings. Yunus Ali is a fugitive. 

DAG Sarkar said the case documents do not say whether or not Salauddin aka Soheil filed an appeal.