The two convicted killers of Rajshahi University Prof S Taher Ahmed are likely to be executed at 10:01pm today, Rajshahi jail authorities said on Wednesday.
Both the death-sentenced accuses Dr Mia Mohiuddin and Jahangir Alam will be hanged at the same gallows of Rajshahi Central Jail at the same time, authorities of RCJ informed the Bangladesh Post.
RCJ sources further mentioned the family members of the two death-sentenced accused have already met Dr Mia Mohiuddin and Jahangir Alam at Rajshahi Jail for the last time last Tuesday.
RCJ sources further informed, the process of hanging two death-sentenced accused in Prof Dr Taher murder case has already been started. Eight executioners or hangmen selected from life-term convicts in Rajshahi Central Jail have also been trained and they rehearsed several times for the act of execution. Sources further mentioned, it usually requires four executioners to hang a convict that is why eight executioners have been selected for the act of execution of the two convicts. Among the executioners the names of Islam, Alam and Wahab are mentionable.
Mijanur Rahman, younger brother of death-sentenced accused Jahangir Alam informed to the journalists last night that the authorities of RCJ through a letter asked the relatives of Jahangir Alam to meet with him for the last time. As a result, 35 family members of Jahangir Alam met with him on Tuesday noon. Earlier on the same morning, family members of Dr Mia Mohiuddin also met with him for the last time.
It is learnt, top-level administrative officials including the Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi, Representatives of Civil Surgeon, Rajshahi, top officials of DIG Prison and RCJ authorities held a meeting at RCJ to make the executions of two death-sentenced accused effective.
However, it is for the first time the executions of two death-sentenced accused now in the condemned cell of RCJ will be held at the same gallows as there is only one gallows inside Rajshahi Jail.
According to sources, in February-1,2006 Professor Dr Taher Ahmed went missing. The next day on Feb-2, his dead body was recovered from inside the manhole of his quarter in Rajshahi University campus. On February-3, Sanji Alvi Ahmed lodged a murder case with the Motihar police station accusing some unidentified persons in this connection. Police arrested Dr Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, Associate Prof the dept. of Geology and Mining of RU, Jahangir Alam, Caretaker of the house of Dr Taher and six other persons afterwards in connection with the murder. On May-22, 2008, the Speedy Trial Tribunal in Rajshahi sentenced four of the accused death penalty and two others were released. The four death-sentenced accused were Assoc Prof Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, Dr Taher's caretaker of the house Jahangir Alam, his brother Nazmul Alam and Nazmul's wife's brother Abdus Salam. However, two other accused in the case, Azim Uddin Munshi, father of Janagir and the then President of Islami Chhatra Shibir of RU Mahbubul Alam Salehi were acquitted of the charges.
Later on, the death sentence accused of the case appealed to the high court. The High Court upheld the death penalty of Mia Mohiuddin and Jahangir Alam and the punishment for Nazmul Alam and Abdus Salam was decreased to life sentences from the death penalty. However, the state appealed to the Apex Court seeking an increase in the punishment of the two life-sentenced convicts. After hearing the Apex body of the court upheld the verdict of the High Court on April-5,2022.
