Awami League plans week-long protests

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, DEC. 15. There were differing opinions among legal experts over the next course of legal process in the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder case after Thursday's split judgment by the Bangladesh High Court. The two judges constituting the Division Bench had upheld the death sentence on 10 former army officers while one of the judges acquitted five others. All the 15 were sentenced to death by a trial court in November 1998.

Shocked at the split verdict, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations have announced a week-long programme of demonstration from Dec. 17 demanding that the acquittals should be quashed. The main Opposition alliance, led by Begum Khaleda Zia, has declined to make any comment on the judgment, but said, ``the law should take its own course.''

The central committee of the Awami League, at an emergency meeting, with the party chief Sheikh Hasina in the chair, last night said the split verdict was not expected by the people. ``People had the expectation that the High Court would unanimously uphold the judgment of the trial court against the self-confessed killers, because these people brutally killed Bangladesh's founding father and most of his family members.''

Senior legal experts said the judgment would now be referred to the Chief Justice, Mr. Latifur Rahman, who will send only the issue of acquittal of the five to a third judge for review.

Whatever the fate of the five, at least two of whom are known to have played a direct role in the August 15, 1975 carnage, the execution of the death sentences on 10 convicts may also take some more time since the court has gone on vacation till Jan. 4.

But the defence side argued that the process of appeal by the 10 convicted army officers would be delayed till the hearing on the acquittal of the five others is completed. The Special Prosecutor, Mr. Serajul Haq, who led the state attorneys in the country's most sensational murder trial, said the judgment reflected ``justice''. ``We have to accept the verdict. Justice has been done.'' He said the third judge would only hear the acquittal of the five.

However, the defence lawyer, Mr. Khan Saifur Rahman, pointed out that status quo would be maintained in the proceedings since the matter would now be referred to a third judge. Another defence lawyer said they would appeal against the death sentences on the 10 after the hearing by the third judge was completed.

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Section  : International
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