FOUR SHIBIR CADRES TO BE HANGED
FOUR MORE TO RECEIVE LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Acquitted: Chief Shibir Cadre and Three Others
The Daily Janakantha: Friday 7 February 2003
(Translated By Basu Bose, HRCBM)
Reactions: “Justice is ensured”- Mrs. Muhuri. “Triumph of Truth” - Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council.
By Moajjemul Haq and Kamal Pervez (The Daily Janakantha: Friday 7 February 2003)
The eagerly awaited outcome of a sensational trial of the ghastly murder of immensely popular principal of Chittagong Nazirhat College, Gopal Krishna Muhuri (an eminent member of the Hindu community, educator and a prominent organizer and leader in the 1971 Liberation War) was announced last Thursday.
The four Islamic Chhatra Shibir (the student wing of Jamaat-E –Islami party) cadres were sentenced to death by hanging. Four others, including three more Islamic Chhatra Shibir (“Shibir” for short) cadres, were sentenced to life imprisonment and fines of Tk.50,000 each. Four other accused acquitted, their cases not being proved beyond a reasonable doubt, were Nasir (the chief cadre of Shibir) and three Professors from Chittagong Nazirhat College.
Justice M. Hassan Imam of Chittagong division of the newly constituted Speedy Trial Tribunal issued a 15-page judgement in the afternoon in a fully packed courtroom. Four of the eight sentenced to death or life imprisonment were still absconding. Out of the twelve tried, eight were present at the court when the verdict was read.
The ones sentenced to death by hanging were named as Taslimuddin Mantu (Shibir cadre), Alamgir alias Baittya Alamgir (Shibir cadre), Nasir alias Gittu Nasir (Shibir cadre and absconding), and Azam (Shibir cadre and absconding).
The ones sentenced to life imprisonment (and a concurrent fine of Tk. 50,000 each) were Shahjahan (Accountant, Chittagong Nazirhat College), Saiful Islam alias Chhoto Saiful (Shibir Cadre), Habib Kahn (Shibir cadre and absconding), and Mohiuddin alias Moinuddin (Shibir cadre and absconding).
The ones acquitted were Mohammad Idris Mia Chowdhury (a professor at Chittagong Nazirhat College), Tofajjal Ahmed (a professor at Chittagong Nazirhat College), Jahurul Haq (a professor at Chittagong Nazirhat College), and Nasir (the chief cadre of Shibir).
Representing the State were special public prosecutor, Kamrul Islam Chaudury and his colleague, Advocate Sadhanmoy Bhattacharya. Defence counsels comprised of Advocate Badiul Alam, Ahsanul Haq Hena, Manjurul Islam Ansari, Ahmed Hussain, Maqsul Mowla Nasir, Premankar Barua, Humayun Kabir and Nurucchapa.
For those sentenced to death, the judge has permitted seven days to appeal. For those sentenced to life imprisonment, the judge has directed that their personal estate to be seized and liquidated to pay the fines.
For those absconding, the judgement will be enforced from the date of their arrest or surrender to the police. To ensure their recapture, copies of the judgement were handed over to Chief Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Chief District Magistrate.
Chittagong District Magistrate has been empowered to enforce the applicable provisions of the judgement after the expiry of the appeal period.
The judge came out of his chamber with the copy of his judgement at 12:15 PM (Bangladesh Time) and the court rose then to hear the verdict. He read only the principal part of the judgement for about three to four minutes. As soon as the verdict was read, the ones acquitted broke down into tears. Those present in the courtroom and sentenced to death or life imprisonment showed no reaction as if nothing had happened.
Principal Gopal Krishna Muhuri was murdered at 6:30 AM in the morning of November 16th, 2001. The murder took place at the hands of four Shibir cadres who went into his residence (Shawn Bhaban) at Jamal Khan Road, Chittagong.
Mr. Muhuri’s wife and children were grabbed, overpowered and withheld, whilst two rounds of ammunition were fired from the gun held directly at Mr. Muhuri’s head that blew his skull. The assailants fled immediately.
As the news of the brutal murder spread out, a large crowd started assembling in the Jamal Khan Road. Visibly upset crowd soon blocked the whole street. Taking time out from a prescheduled trip in Chittagong, the Home Minister, the Food Minister and the Inspector General of Police later arrived at the scene of the murder. They were all met with the anger of the local populace.
The murder of Principal Muhuri caused an outcry throughout Bangladesh. Subsequently, the leader of opposition, Sheikh Hasina, also visited the place of the incident.
At the time of the incident, Principal Muhuri’s wife, Uma Muhuri (an audit official with the Railways) filed a case at the Kotowali Police Station, Chittagong. In her statement she noted that there was conflict between Mr. Muhuri and a few of his colleagues and governing body members on internal issues of the college, and complained that this conflict was related to the murder. In the case filed with the police Mrs. Muhuri accused three Professors of the college, Mr. Idris Mia Chowdhury, Tofajjal Ahmed and Jahurul Huq.
Prior to the verdict being read, most of the accused at the dock appeared to be in high spirit. They were enjoying their conversations and exchanging stories. Amidst all this, Shibir chief Nasir conducted some important consultation with one of the accused men.
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The three teachers, however, were a little detached and reading from the scriptures. One of the teachers, Tofajjal Ahmed, who was sick, sat on a chair at the dock.
After the verdict was read, several of those sentenced were smiling instead of showing any remorse. The three acquitted teachers started to cry. Also, before the accused were brought into the court for the judgement hearing, Shibir cadre chief Nasir used his handcuff to hit a photo-journalist.
After the verdict was heard, the relatives of those sentenced to death became noisy. Special security measures were taken at the premises of the Speedy Trial Tribunal before the verdict was announced.
PRINCIPAL MUHURI’S WIFE’S REACTION.
On Thursday evening, Mrs. Uma Muhuri issued a written statement noting that the verdict ensured that the justice was fair. This judgement opened a significant chapter for the legal institutions and in the application of the rule of law. She has appealed to the State to allow further trial of those acquitted to be held at the Supreme Court. Simultaneously she has asked for the safety and security of all her family members, relatives, and the public prosecutors involved in this trial. She also expressed her gratitude to all who showed their sympathy and concern at the murder of Principal Muhuri- she was especially grateful to the news media. She hoped that all murder trials would be conducted in a similar manner.
After the verdict, the counsel for the State, public prosecutor Kamrul Islam Chowdhury Sajjad, told the reporters that this judgement has ensured appropriate justice. When asked if he was going to appeal the acquittals, he indicated that further details would be passed on to the higher authorities in the Government. The State would then decide on the next steps after further discussions and related procedures involved.
Although lawyers of the four men acquitted expressed their satisfaction with the verdict, lawyer of those found guilty, Manjurul Alam Ansari, stated that fair justice was not served and that there will be appeal in the higher court.
RELIEF FOR THE PUBLIC
The news of the verdict on the murder of Principal Gopal Krishna Muhuri spread across the city and became the main topic of discussion. Various sections of the community expressed their relief on hearing the verdict.
The Chittagong committee of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council in its reaction to the judgement stated that the truth has been victorious. The committee expressed hope that truth will also win in the murder trial of the Buddhist monk Gyan Jyoti Barua and Hindu Priest Madan Gopal Goswami.
Human Rights Lawyer, Advocate Zia Habib Ahsan, stated that all murderers were against humanity. If all judgements on murder trials demonstrated exemplary punishments like those given at the Muhuri murder case, then one would see less and less of such heinous crimes.
Many other comments from varied sources were optimistic that this verdict will be upheld at the higher court of justice.