SC imprisons JMB's Amjad till death

The Supreme Court yesterday sentenced Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) activist Amjad Ali to imprisonment until his death in two cases filed for killing a litigant and injuring some others by carrying out a bomb attack on a Lakshmipur court in 2005.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha delivered verdict after modifying its previous order in these cases.

The apex court had earlier scrapped the High Court order that acquitted Amjad.

Yesterday, the apex court modified its earlier order and handed him imprisonment until death, Deputy Attorney General Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar told The Daily Star.

Earlier on April 6, the SC upheld the acquittal of Amjad, and ordered the lower court concerned to hold his retrial.

The same day, the apex court affirmed the HC verdict that upheld the death sentence of JMB leader Masumur Rahman Masum in the cases.

Yesterday, the SC too upheld death sentence of Masumur, DAG Sashanka said.

The Appellate Division came up with the verdict after allowing two appeals filed by the government against the HC verdict on Amjad and dismissing two appeals filed by Masum challenging the HC verdict on him.

The SC yesterday reheard the appeals on its own move, the DAG added.  

On October 3, 2005, JMB activists carried out the bomb attack, killing Mojibul Hoque, a litigant, and injuring MA Sufian, a judge, and some others.

On August 15, 2006, a Lakshmipur court sentenced JMB's military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny, Masum and Amjad to death in both the cases. Sunny was executed for killing two Jhalakathi judges.

The HC in 2013 upheld the death penalty of Masum and acquitted Amjad after hearing death reference and their appeals against the court's judgment.