“Don’t worry so much. Give it time.”

Muhammad Q. Islam

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The depraved murder of seven people in Narayanganj on April, 2014 has shocked a nation. Forty years ago, in April 1974, the nation was similarly stunned by the cold blooded assasination of seven students in Mohsin Hall of Dhaka University. The chief accused in the Mohsin Hall murder was BCL General Secretary Shafiul Alam Prodhan. Mr. Prodhan was tried, convicted, and given a life term. Today, Mr. Prodhan walks free, is the president of his own political party, and as a member of the BNP Alliance, hobnobs with some of the highest ranking political leaders of the country. It is said that Shafiul Alam Prodhan was set free by General Ziaur Rahman, as part of a political deal that assured General Zia of the support of Gamiruddin Prodhan, at one time Deputy Speaker of East Pakistan Legislative Assembly.

Of course, a country’s chief executive has the right to pardon individuals convicted of crime. Article 49 of the Bangladesh Constitution, Prerogative of Mercy, states that: “The President shall have power to grant pardons, reprieves and respite and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.” But one expects, but there is no strict requirement, that the pardon in the rare case it is offered, is given to those who can successfully argue that theirs is a case where grave injustice was done. For example, that one was wrongly accused and convicted or by some measure, the punishment did not fit the crime. This is an expectation, but not a requirement. The home ministry and the law ministry are supposed to study the request for clemency and make recommendations. One never expects that a person convicted of seven murders would be set free as part of a political quid pro quo.

Jatiya Party cadre Azam Khan was tried, convicted, and sentenced to die for the murder of Awami League leader and two-time MP, Moyez Uddin Ahmed. General Ershad pardoned him and apparently publicly called him his brother. One can read about Mohiuddin Ahmed Jhintu, convicted and sentenced to die by a military court, along with co-conspirators, for two murders in 1982. According to an interview published in a local daily in 2005, Mr. Ahmed claimed that President Ershad offered him clemency provided Mr. Ahmed joined the Jatiya Party. Mohiuddin Ahmed Jhintu left the country, became an overseas organiser of BNP, came back to Bangladesh after 23 years, and 10 days after surrendering to courts, revived his presidential pardon. A co-convict surrendered to the courts in 1987 after hiding for five years, to be pardoned by the President within a day of his surrender. Ironically, another co-convict who was in custody was hanged immediately following judgment for the same crime!

AHM Biplob, the son of an Awami League leader had the remarkable fortune of receiving not one but two presidential pardons. AHM Biplob was convicted of killing three people including opposition politicians, and was handed down a death sentence for one murder, and two life sentences for the other murders. AHM Biplop went into hiding, was convicted in absentia. He re-appeared after 10 years after the AL came to power, and sought presidential clemency. President Zillur Rahman granted Mr. Biplob clemency in the death sentence case in July 2011, and just a few months later, in early 2012, his life sentences were reduced to 10 years imprisonment for the other two cases “effective from the day of the jail warrant.” Not knowing what the term “effective from the day of jail warrant” actually means, I have a sinking feeling that the effective date of the jail warrant was ten years back, and AHM Biplob will spend a scant few days in jail. Along with AHM Biplob, his brother also received similar favours from the President.

A relative of one the murdered asked, “Where will the common people go if the President pardons a killer on political consideration?” A very appropriate question for President’s Ziaur Rahman, Ershad, and Zillur Rahman! Of course, the political class is least interested in answering this question, and those who kill know that quid pro quo is always on the table. See, other than the presidential clemency that the convicted were granted, there is another thing common in all these cases: the convicted all waited for the opportune time. Mr. Pordhan waited 5 years, Mr. Azam Khan 23 years, his co-convicted 5 years, Mr. AHM Bilop 10 years. They all understood that all those connected and with clout just have to be patient, go into hiding, travel overseas for a few years, and when the opportune time comes, re-appear to be made whole again. A few years here and there are indeed a small price to pay.

Back to the Narayanganj murder case, and the purported telephone conversation between Shamim Osman and one of the suspected architects of the seven murders, Nur Hossain. As reported in bdnews24.com, a  worried Mr. Hossain said that “guns are trained on me,” to which Mr. Osman replied, “Time will take care of everything,” and when Mr. Hossain said, “I have made many mistakes. Please forgive me,” Mr. Osman replied, “Don’t worry so much. Give it time.” Mr. Shamim Osman knows. He took the same route that he advocates: Mr. Osman, donned the Godfather of Narayanganj, left the country for eight years when the AL lost to the BNP, dodged two convictions and 11 years jail term, to now be coronated a ruling party MP. In a country where political parties heavily rely on quid pro quo to keep them in power, it is a matter of being patient and waiting 5, 10 or even 20 years.

Time does take care of everything, at least for some. Common people need not apply.

Source: Bd news24

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