RU Prof Taher murder: SC rejects convicts’ review appeal

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected review petitions of the two death-row convicts in Rajshahi University Professor S Taher Ahmed murder case.

A bench of eight justices, led by Chief justice Hasan Foez Siddique, passed the order, rejecting review petitions filed by the two death-row convicts.

With the order, there is no bar to the execution of the two condemned convicts, and they will also get a chance to seek mercy from the president.

Besides, the Appellate Division also rejected the review petition of another convict, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the case.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohamamd Morshed were present during the review petition hearing.

The two death-row convicts in the case are Dr Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, associate professor of Rajshahi University’s Geology and Mining department, and Md Jahangir Alam, caretaker of Professor S Taher’s residence.

The two sentenced to life term are Nazmul Alam and Abdus Salam, relatives of caretaker Jahangir Alam.

Prof Taher’s body was recovered from a drain near his residence, two days after he went missing on February 1, 2006.

On February 3, a murder case was filed at Motihar police station in Rajshahi, following a complaint lodged by his son Sanzid.

A Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal on May 22, 2008, sentenced four people to death in the case and acquitted two others, including former RU Chhatra Shibir president Mahbubul Alam Salehi.

Later on May 13, 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.