FM hopeful of bringing back another Bangabandhu’s killer in Mujib Year

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said the government is working to bring back convicted killers of Bangabandhu, at least one more in this Mujib Year, to execute them to implement the court verdict.

"We’re hoping we’ll be successful. We’re working on it," he said adding that one of the killers was executed recently, reports UNB.

Dr Momen made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mazar here as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of independence who was killed by a cabal of disgruntled army men on August 15, 1975 along with most of his family members.

After placing a wreath, the Foreign Minister offered doa.

The fugitives are: Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Maj (retd) Noor Chowdhury, Maj (retd) Rashed Chowdhury and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan. Capt Abdul Majed was hanged recently.

Earlier, the Foreign Minister sought support from Bangladeshi expatriates living in different countries alongside the government initiative to bring back the remaining five fugitive convicted killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and execute the verdict.

One of them is in the United States while another in Canada, he said.

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.

Among the fugitives, the government knew the whereabouts of Noor Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin while it was not sure about the other three fugitives -- Rashid and Dalim.

Lebanon Situation

Foreign Minister Dr Momen said Bangladesh is sending emergency food like rice, biscuits and dry food. "The aircraft will fully be loaded with dry food."

Responding to a question, he said it will be very expensive to bring back bodies due to the suspension of regular flights operation.

Dr Momen said the bodies are buried there following all religious rules.

Foreign Minister Dr Momen talked to Lebanese Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe on Wednesday and said Bangladesh stands ready to provide any emergency support to Lebanon.

He expressed gratitude to the government of Lebanon for providing necessary support, including treatment to Bangladeshis who got injured.

At least four Bangladeshi citizens were killed and 21 members of Bangladesh Navy injured in a massive explosion in Lebanon's capital Beirut on Tuesday.

At least 86 expatriate Bangladeshis were injured in the incident while two more Bangladesh citizens remain missing.

The deceased were identified as Mehdi Hasan Roni, hailing from Brahmanbaria, Mizan from Madaripur, Rezaul from Cumilla and Rasel Miah from Brahmanbaria.

The Embassy also urged all to inform it through its hotline number if they come to know of any more casualties.

Some 1,50,000 Bangladesh nationals work in a number of sectors in Lebanon.

Investigators began searching the wreckage of Beirut’s port Wednesday for clues to the cause of the massive explosion that ripped across the Lebanese capital as the government ordered port officials put under house arrest, according to AP.

International aid flights began to arrive, as Lebanon’s leaders struggled to deal with the aftermath of Tuesday’s blast, crippled by an economic crisis and facing a public where many already blame chronic mismanagement and corruption among the ruling elite for the disaster.

The explosion at the port killed at over 100 people and wounded thousands. Hospitals were overwhelmed — one that was damaged in the blast had to evacuate all its patients to a nearby field for treatment.

Buildings were damaged for miles around the city, and Beirut’s governor said Wednesday that hundreds of thousands might not be able to return to their homes for two or three months.