Four awarded death sentence for killing author Humayun Azad

A Dhaka court has awarded death penalty to four militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in a case filed for the murder of polymath author and teacher of Dhaka University, Professor Humayun Azad.

The court of Dhaka 4th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Al Mamun pronounced the verdict on Wednesday morning.

The convicted are – Mizanur Rahman alias Minhaz, Anwarul Alam alias Bhagne Shahid, Salehin alias Salahuddin and Nur Mohammad alias Shamim.

Among the four, JMB Shura members Mizanur and Anwarul Alam are in jail while Salehin and Nur Mohammad are on the run.

The hearing in the case of the murder that took place 18 years ago ended on 26 March this year. Later, the court fixed 13 April for pronouncing the verdict.

According to the case statement, assailants hacked Humayun Azad leaving him fatally injured on the night of 26 February, 2004 on the way back from Amar Ekushey Book Fair.

The next day, his brother Manjur Kabir filed a case with Ramna police station in the capital alleging attempted murder. Humayun Azad died in Germany on 12 August that year while undergoing treatment. The case then turned into a murder case.

After three years of investigation, on 14 January 2007, the investigating officer filed a charge sheet against five accused. Mizanur Rahman and Anwar Alam, members of the Shura of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), are in jail in connection with the case.

The fugitives are Salehin alias Salahuddin and Nur Mohammad while Hafiz Mahmud was killed in an alleged gunfight.