A 14 December 2000 AFP report states that the high court of Bangladesh had rendered a "partially split verdict" over an appeal made by 15 army officers who had been sentenced to death by a lower court in 1998 for the murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. One of the two judges, Mohammad Ruhul Amin, upheld 10 of the 15 death sentences, and acquitted the 5 officers of all charges (ibid.). The other judge, A.B.M. Khairul Haque, confirmed all the original death sentences (ibid.). The report also stated that the high court verdict would have to be submitted to the chief justice so that it could be reviewed by a third judge. Those to be acquitted were Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed, Major Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Captain Kismat Hashem, Captain Nazmil Hossain Ansar and Risaldar Moslemuddin, alias Moslehuddin (ibid.). The charges against Major Bazlul Huda were changed from murder to conspiracy, but his death sentence was upheld (ibid.) A 20 January 2001 report in The Hindu states that a third judge of the high court had begun to hold hearings on the split judgement.

No further development on this verdict could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 14 December 2000. Nadeem Qadir. "Violence Leaves One Dead After Verdict on Bangladesh Assassination." (NEXIS)

The Hindu [Bombay]. 20 January 2001. Haroon Habib. "Bangladesh: Mujib Portrait Mandatory in Government Offices." (NEXIS).

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Resource Centre Country Files: Bangladesh

Internet sources including:

The Independent [Dhaka]

World News Connection (WNC)