Jail killing Case

The fact of the case:

The Jail Killing refers to the murder of four Awami League leaders in prison by army officers involved in the 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état. The leaders killed were former President Syed Nazrul Islam, former Prime Ministers Tajuddin Ahmed and Muhammad Mansur Ali, and President of Awami League A. H. M Qamaruzzaman.

Issues of the case:

The main issue in the Jail Killing case was the murder of the four Awami League leaders while they were in prison. The case involved investigating the circumstances of their deaths, identifying the individuals responsible, and seeking justice for the victims.

The argument of the case:

The argument in the case revolved around establishing the culpability of the army officers involved in the murder of the four leaders. The prosecution presented evidence to prove that the officers entered the prison, shot the leaders, and bayoneted them in their jail cells. The defense may have argued for their client's innocence or questioned the evidence and witnesses presented by the prosecution.

Judgement of the case:

The trial in the Jail Killing case resulted in the conviction and sentencing of several individuals. Among the accused, Marfot Ali Shah, Moslemuddin, and Abdul Hashem Mridha were sentenced to death. Others, including Abdul Majed, Ahmed Sharful Hossain, and Khandaker Abdur Rashid, received life imprisonment. Some individuals were found innocent of all charges. Over the years, there were appeals and revisions of the verdict, with the Supreme Court upholding the death sentences of Marfot Ali Shah and Abul Hashem Mridha.

Written by---
HT AL-AMIN KHAN
Department of Land Management and Law
Jagannath University, Dhaka