The efforts made by the government to bring back the five killers of Bangabandhu, who have been taking shelter abroad, remain unsuccessful while two of the killers continue to use the law of those countries as a shield to avoid punishment for their heinous crimes.
Through executing one of the convicts Abdul Majed, the current government led by Sheikh Hasina moved another step towards ensuring justice as per the commitment they made.
Abdul Majed was executed on April 12, 2020. He had long been hiding abroad until he was hanged.
Five other convicts -- Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed -- were executed on January 28, 2010.
Read: The Mournful Day
Another convict Aziz Pasha died in Zimbabwe in 2001 while the trial against the convicts ended 14 years ago.
The five killers who still remain fugitives are Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haque Dalim, Nur Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan.
Of them, Nur Chowdhury and Rashed Chowdhury have been traced in Canada and the USA.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has criticised the United States and Canada for giving shelter to the killers of Bangabandhu instead of handing them over to Bangladesh on various excuses.
“It’s a shame for those countries while (it is) unfortunate for us,” he said referring to the failure of the US and Canada to return the convicted killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Momen said the government will be very happy if all the killers are brought back to face justice. “But we are yet to do it. If we can, we will feel that it is a great achievement.”
Read: A commission needed to unmask 15th August masterminds: Dr Razzaque
He said the government has written many letters to the US and Canadian governments seeking steps for returning the killers; even the PM wrote to the US president.
Momen encouraged the Bangladeshis living in Canada and the US to stage demonstrations routinely in front of the two killers’ residences.
The foreign minister said the government would reward those who can provide information on the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“If you can give us information, you will be rewarded,” he said, calling for unmasking those who kept mum for 21 years about the killers and the persons behind the killers. “All those people should be unmasked.”
Describing Canada and the USA as countries with very strong rule of law, the foreign minister said they should not shelter murderers.
Read: Bangabandhu killers' gallantry awards revoked
“It is unfortunate that these self-confessed murderers are using the laws of these countries (Canada, USA) as a shield to escape punishment for their crimes. Neither country showed any interest in addressing the issue of their repatriation in a political process,” said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Seheli Sabrin.
She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue all efforts in this regard until this demand of the people from all walks of life of Bangladesh is realized.
On behalf of the Bangladesh government, all efforts are being made to bring back Bangabandhu's self-confessed murderers Rashed Chowdhury and Nur Chowdhury from the United States and Canada respectively, according to MoFA.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been demanding the repatriation of these self-confessed murderers directly and through the Bangladesh Embassy/High Commission in those countries.
In all the high-level bilateral talks, Bangladesh government raised this just claim and reminded that if the criminal is spared from serving his sentence, it not only hinders the establishment of justice, but it severely violates the human rights of individuals and families deprived of justice, Sabrin said.
Read: Govt would reward those providing info on Bangabandhu’s fugitive killers: Momen
She mentioned that Bangladesh's demand for the repatriation of the killers was reiterated during the recent meeting of Canada's International Development Minister Harjit S Sajjan with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during the bilateral meeting held in Washington DC by the Foreign Minister with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and in the meeting with senior officials of the US State Department who visited Bangladesh.
The Foreign Office of both the United States and Canada have been saying that the matter is under the jurisdiction of their Justice Department and that their Justice Department is aware of Bangladesh's claim, citing the complexity of the legal process associated with it.
Canada says they do not get involved in the judiciary that is independent but it (deportation issue of Chowdhury) is in the right hands for the appropriate process to be taken care of.
Just a few days ago, a journalist at the US State Department briefing raised the issue and wanted to know US’ views on extradition of the self-confessed killer to Bangladesh from the US.
In reply, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “We don’t comment on extradition matters.”
The National Mourning Day will be observed on 15 August. On this day in 1975, the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation, President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members was brutally assassinated.
Eighteen members of the Father of the Nation's family including Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons--valiant Freedom Fighter Captain Sheikh Kamal, valiant Freedom Fighter Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and 10-year old Sheikh Russel, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother valiant Freedom Fighter Sheikh Abu Naser, youth leader valiant Freedom Fighter Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his pregnant wife Arzu Moni, peasant leader valiant Freedom Fighter Abdur Rab Serniabat, his daughter Baby Serniabat, son Arif Serniabat, nephew journalist Shaheed Serniabat, grandson Sukanta Babu, and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, among others, were assassinated by the heinous killers on that fateful night.
President's Military Secretary Brigadier General Jamil, and on duty ASI of Special Branch of Police Siddiqur Rahman were also gunned down.
Several members of a family died in the capital's Mohammadpur area by artillery shells fired by the killers on the day.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her latest article titled “The Mournful Day” wrote, “Father! Wherever you are, your blessing hand is over my head - I can feel it. I will build a golden Bangladesh that you dreamt of by ensuring food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education to the people of the country.”
“The people of your country have received your deep love and the strength of this love is the motivation to move forward,” she wrote.