No legal bar in executing killers of Prof Taher: DAG Chowdhury

Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Nowroj Md Russel Chowdhury has said there is no legal bar in carrying out the execution of two convicted killers of Rajshahi University Prof Dr S Taher Ahmed.

The state counsel made the observation as the High Court today dismissed a writ petition filed by convict Jahangir Alam for staying his execution.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice Md Ali Reza passed the order after holding a hearing on the plea.

"Now there is no legal bar in carrying out their execution. The court while passing its order today, said, as the Appellate Division has scrapped the plea for reviewing its judgement, there is no need to hear this plea," DAG Chowdhury said.

The Appellate Division on March 2, 2023, dismissed a petition seeking review of the apex court order that upheld the death sentence of former associate professor Rajshahi University Dr Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin and former caretaker of Dr Taher's house, Jahangir Alam.

The apex court on September 14, 2022, published the 68-page verdict upholding the death sentence of two convicts, Rajshahi University teacher Dr Miah Mohammad Mohiuddin and then caretaker at Prof S Taher's residence Jahangir Alam. The apex court also upheld the sentence of life imprisonment of Abdus Salam and Nazmul Alam.

Dr S Taher Ahmed, Professor of Rajshahi University Department of Geology and Mining, was killed on February 1, 2006 and police recovered his body from a septic tank behind his residence on the university campus on February 3 the same year. His son Sanjid Alvi Ahmed filed the case with Motihari Police Station on the same day.

Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal on May 22, 2008, sentenced four accused to death and acquitted two others of the charges.

The High Court after holding hearings on the death reference and appeals of the convicts, pronounced its judgement on April 21, 2013. It confirmed the death sentence of the then RU teacher Dr Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin and Jahangir Alam for their involvement in the gruesome murder. The court however, commuted the death sentences of Jahangir's brother Md Abdus Salam and brother-in-law Md Nazmul. 

On February 22, 2022, the apex court started hearing on the appeals filed by the convicts challenging the HC verdict against them. The Appellate Division on April 5, 2022, upheld the High Court verdict.