There is no bar to execute the two death row convicts in the Rajshahi University professor S Taher Ahmed murder case as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has published the full text of verdict rejecting the review petitions.
The eight-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief justice Hasan Foez Siddique, published the 21-page verdict on Wednesday.
The two death row convicts -- Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, associate professor of Rajshahi University’s Geology and Mining department, and Md Jahangir Alam, caretaker of professor S Taher’s residence -- can now seek clemency from the president.
The text will be sent to the Rajshahi court and it will issue the death warrant of the two death row convicts.
The jail authorities will take steps regarding the execution of the two convicts.
On 2 March, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected review petitions of three persons, including the two death row convicts in the professor Taher murder case.
Earlier, on 5 April, 2022, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court sentenced two people to death and two others to life imprisonment in the case.
The two sentenced to life term are Nazmul Alam and Abdus Salam, relatives of caretaker Jahangir Alam.
Professor Taher’s body was recovered from a drain near his residence, two days after he went missing on 1 February, 2006.
A murder case was filed at Motihar police station in Rajshahi on 3 February following a complaint lodged by his son Sanzid.
A Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal on 22 May, 2008, sentenced four people to death in the case and acquitted two others, including former RU Chhatra Shibir president Mahbubul Alam Salehi.
Later on 13 May, 2013, the High Court upheld the death penalty of Mohiuddin and Jahangir, but sentenced Salam and Nazmul to imprisonment until death. After the order, Mohiuddin, Jahangir and Salam moved the apex court.
