The High Court on Tuesday suspended the freedom fighter gallantry awards of four fugitive killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members.
The absconding killers are Bir Uttam Shariful Huq Dalim, Bir Bikram SHMB Nur Chowdhury, Bir Pratik AM Rashed Chowdhury and Bir Pratik Mosleh Uddin.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Subir Nandi Das, challenging the legality of retaining their Bir title even though they were sentenced to death for killing Bangabandhu on August 15 in 1975.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain in four weeks why their inaction to cancel the state gallantry awards of the four should not be declared illegal.
In the order, the HC said suspension of gallantry awards of the four killers' will continue till disposal of the rule.
Advocate Abdul Qayyum Khan appeared before the court on behalf of Subir Nandi Das while Deputy Attorney General Nawroz Russel Chowdhury along with Assistant Attorney General Kalipado Mridha represented the State.
In 1973, the then government had given the awards and also issued a gazette notification to this effect on December 15 the same year.
According to the gazette notification, seven freedom fighters were given gallantry awards as Bir Shrestha, 68 were given the awards as Bir Uttam, 175 were given the awards as Bir Bikram and 426 were
awarded as Bir Protik for their contribution in the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Nur Chowdhury was given the gallantry award as Bir Bikram, Shariful Haque Dalim was given the title Bir Uttam, and Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan were given the honour of Bir Protik for their contribution during the Liberation War in 1971.
Subir Nandi Das submitted the writ petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on December 2, saying that the convicted killers of the Father of the Nation cannot have the state gallantry awards.
The state can cancel their awards under Section 14 of the General Clauses Act, he said in the petition, adding that many states of the world including the USA, New Zealand and Canda have cancelled such awards of many people on different reasons.
On August 15, 1975, Bangladesh's founding father Bangabandhu and most of his family members were assassinated by a cabal of military men.
Eighteen members of his family, including Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons - Captain Sheikh Kamal, Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and 10-year-old Sheikh Russel, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, peasant leader Abdur Rab Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, were, among others, killed on that fateful night.
Military Secretary Brigadier General Jamil was also killed. Several members of a family in the capital's Mohammadpur area were killed by artillery shells fired by the killers on the same day.
On November 19, 2009, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of 12 convicted former army officials for the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family members.
Five killers of Bangabandhu - Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed - were hanged in January 2010.
Besides, another fugitive convict, Capt (dismissed) Abdul Majed, hanged in April, 2019.
On August 15 in 1975, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu and most of his family members were assassinated by a conspire of military men.
Eighteen members of Bangabandhu's family, including Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons - Captain Sheikh Kamal, Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and 10-year-old Sheikh Russel, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, peasant leader Abdur Rab Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, were, among others, killed on that fateful night.
Military Secretary Brigadier General Jamil was also killed. Several members of a family in the capital's Mohammadpur area were killed by artillery shells fired by the killers on the same day.
On November 19 in 2009, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of 12 convicted former army officials for the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family members.
Five killers of Bangabandhu - Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed - were hanged in January 2010.
Later, another fugitive convict, Capt (dismissed) Abdul Majed, hanged on April 11 this year.
