Udichi bombing: JMB militant executed in Gazipur jail

Asaduzzaman Chowdhury alias Panir, a member of the banned militant outfit JMB who was convicted over the bombing of the Udichi Shilpi Goshthi offices in Netrokona 16 years ago, has been hanged in a Gazipur jail.

His death sentence was carried out at Kashimpur High Security Central Jail at 11:01 pm on Thursday, said Senior Jail Superintendent Md Gias Uddin.

In November 2019, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal for a review of his death sentence.

“After completing the legal process, his body was sent to his village home by a police escort at around 1:15 am.”

On Dec 6, 2005, eight people were killed and at least 40 injured in a suicide bombing attack on the offices of the Udichi and Satdal Shilpi Goshthi in Netrokona. The police later filed two cases over the attack.

Asaduzzaman, Salauddin alias Sohail and Yunus Ali were sentenced to death on Feb 17, 2008 by the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2.

The other suspects in the case Siddiqur Rahman alias Bangla Bhai and Ataur Rahman Sunny were acquitted as they had already received capital punishment in another case. Besides, the court also dropped charges against Farzana, the wife of Bangla Bhai.

Asaduzzaman appealed the verdict but the sentence was upheld by the High Court in January 2014. Later, the Appellate Division also affirmed the decision in March 2016.

He had also been sentenced to 20 years in prison in two other cases under the Explosives Act and 10 years in another case.