Bangladesh may get custody of Mujib killer from Canada

DHAKA - The passport of Major (retd) Noor Chowdhury, one of the 12 former Bangladeshi Army officers convicted for killing former president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 34 years ago, has been seized in Canada.

Dhaka now hopes to get his custody, it was revealed here Monday.

State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam said Chowdhury, who has been living in Canada, will be brought back to the country, private television channel Ntv reported.

A bench of the Supreme Court confirmed death sentences on 12 former army officials On November 19 for killing Rahman, referred to with honorific Bangabandhu or simply as Sheikh Mujib, who was killed along with a score of his family members and political associates Aug 15, 1975.

Bangladesh had last year succeeded in getting the custody of Major (retd.) Bazlul Huda from the US after a prolonged court battle.

Huda is one of the 12 convicted and in the condemned prisoners’ cell of Dhaka Jail. They plan to seek presidential pardon.

Noor is among the six other former officials convicted but living abroad for the last many years. Bangladesh authorities say they live in Pakistan, the US and Libya.