Fugitive killers of Bangabandhu must be hanged: Ashraf

Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said today that death sentences will surely be executed after bringing back the fugitive killers of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"The government is trying its best to extradite the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu. The process will continue until they are brought back and none of the killers will be spared," he said after paying rich tributes to the martyrs of August 15, 1975 bloodbath, at Banani Graveyard in Dhaka city.

Heavily denouncing the August 15 carnage, he asked all, particularly Awami League leaders and activists and its front bodies to remain alert and to prevent the recurrence of such heinous acts.

Ashraful, also AL’s general secretary, called upon all to forge a greater unity to accelerate the country's forward march towards development as it is progressing under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The six fugitive killers of Bangabandhu are Lt Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Lt Col (retd) Noor Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury, Capt Abdul Mazed and Risalder Moslemuddin Khan.

Twelve former army officers were handed down death sentences for masterminding and carrying out the August 15 carnage under a protracted trial process that began in 1996.

Five of them, who faced the trial in person were tracked down subsequently, and hanged on January 28 in 2010 after the Appellate Division cleared ways for their execution as they lost their last legal battle.

They were former lieutenant colonel Farookur Rahman, Mohiuddin Ahmed (artillery), Shahriar Rashid Khan and AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed (lancer) and ex-major Bazlul Huda.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Office confirmed the natural death of one of the fugitives, sacked Lt Col Aziz Pasha, in Zimbabwe in 2001.