Three assassins of one of the key organisers of the Liberation War, Kazi Aref, who was also a JaSaD leader, have been hanged 17 years after his death.
Safayet Hossain Habib, Anwar Hossain and Rashedul Islam Jhontu were executed at Jessore Central Jail on Thursday midnight, Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Tipu Sultan told bdnews24.com.
Of the two remaining death row convicts, Elias Hossain died and Mannan Molla is absconding.
Former JaSaD chief Aref and four others died after extremists opened fire during a rally on the grounds of Kalidashpur Primary School at Kushtia’s Doulatpur Upazila on Feb 16, 1999.
The others killed in the incident are the then JaSad Kushtia unit President Lokman Hossain, General Secretary Yakub Ali, local JaSad leaders Israil Hossain and Shamsher Mandal.
The district’s Civil Surgeon Shahdat Hossain entered the jail at 9:30pm on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner Humayun Kabir, District Magistrate Sohel Hasan and Police Superintendent Anisur Rahman followed him about an hour later.
Jail Superintendent Shahjahan Ahmed had earlier told reporters the execution would take place at midnight.
Jail officials said executioners Tanvir Hasan Raju and Hazrat Ali were brought from Dhaka on Wednesday night.
Aref’s wife Raushan Jahanb Sathi expressed ‘satisfaction’ over the executions.
She also expressed disappointment as five other accused are yet to be arrested.
“The verdict is being executed after so many years – it’s certainly a positive matter. But five other accused are still at large after 17 years. Why?” she told bdnews24.com.
Aref, a leader of war-time force Mujib Bahini, is one of the key founders of JaSaD. He was the chief of Jatiya Krishak League too.
After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, Aref played a key role in forming the Awami League-JaSaD coalition during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman.
He was also involved with Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee.
His wife Sathi was an Awami League MP in a seat reserved for women when the party formed the government in 1996.
A Kushtia court on Aug 30, 2004, had sentenced 10 to death and 12 others to life for the killing of Aref and four others.
Appeals were filed against the verdict and the High Court acquitted 13 out of the 22, but upheld death sentences for nine.
The state then appealed against the High Court’s verdict of acquittal while the three death convicts also filed appeals.
On Aug 7, 2011, in its verdict, the Appellate Division upheld death for three and ordered life in prison for the other seven.
Anwar Hossain and Rashedul Islam Jhontu filed a petition to review the verdict.
The petition was rejected in November last year.
Source: Bd news24
