We hope the renewed request sent through Interpol by the Home Ministry this week will assist Bangladesh police in confirming the updated locations of the six killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who remain at large abroad.
Twelve former army officers were handed death sentences for masterminding and carrying out the August 15, 1975 carnage, following a lengthy trial process begun in 1996, after the government scrapped the shameful indemnity act which until then had protected Bangabandhu’s murderers from justice.
Five of the officers who faced trial in person or were tracked down subsequently, were hanged in 2010 after their appeals were completed. One of the remaining seven has since died, but the other murderers still escape justice 40 years after their heinous crime.
It is welcome that the US ambassador to Bangladesh has made assurances of assistance in responding to requests to extradite one of Bangabandhu’s fugitive killers and an accused war criminal, who are believed to be residing in the United States.
The government needs to undertake all possible diplomatic efforts to help further such efforts.
Another factor which should also be considered in all extradition requests is that some fugitives may be resident in states such as Canada or in the European Union, which do not have the death penalty, or whose courts will refuse to extradite people to countries where they may be executed.
While it is customary for states under international law not to interfere with due legal process in other countries, the government still needs to take cognisance of this factor, as at least one of Bangabandhu’s fugitive killers is understood to be in Canada.
Given a choice between being able to extradite a known killer of Bangabandhu for imprisonment short of the death penalty, and letting that person escape any justice, the former is certainly preferable, because it would ensure the accused is held to account and impunity is ended.
As part of its efforts to trace and extradite Bangabandhu’s fugitive killers, the government should express willingness to allow full rights of appeal and guarantee that any death penalty awarded by the courts will be commuted. That way at least, justice can be seen to be served and the disgraceful impunity with which Bangabandhu’s killers have remained at large for so long, can be finally ended.
