SC upholds death penalty for JMB leader Masum

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the death penalty of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) leader Masumur Rahman Masum in two cases filed for killing a litigant and injuring some others by carrying out a bomb attack at Lakshmipur court in 2005.

The apex court also scrapped a portion of the High Court verdict that acquitted another JMB leader Amjad Ali of the same cases and ordered the lower court concerned to hold his retrial.

It also asked the jail authorities to transfer Amjad to the normal custody.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha delivered the verdict.

The SC dismissed Masum's appeal that challenged his part of the HC verdict, and disposed of the government's appeal against Amjad's acquittal.

Deputy Attorney General Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar told The Daily Star that the jail authorities could take steps for executing Masum after receiving verdict, if he did not take any further legal step. Masum can seek review and presidential mercy after the SC verdict, he added.

He, however, could not specifically say the name of the jail where Masum and Amjad are now serving.

The DAG said the SC ordered Amjad's retrial as the HC in its verdict observed that the trial court did not take the charges into cognisance.   

According to the prosecution, the JMB activists carried out the attack on October 3, 2005, killing Mojibul Hoque, a litigant, and injuring MA Sufian, a judge of the court, Shafique Ullah, a bench officer, and some others. 

On August 15, 2006, Lakshmipur speedy trial tribunal sentenced JMB's military commander Ataur Rahman Sunny, Masum and Amjad in both the cases. Sunny's death penalty for killing two Jhalakathi judges has already been executed.

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.