Two hanged for killing RU professor S Taher

Rajshahi Central Jail authorities have hanged two people convicted of killing Rajshahi University Professor S Taher.

The executions took place at 10:01pm on Thursday (27 July), Senior Jail Superintendent Abdul Jalil confirmed to The Business Standard.

The convicts are Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, former associate professor at the Department of Geology and Mining of Rajshahi University; and Jahangir Alam, former caretaker of Professor S Taher's house. 

Taher's family welcomed the news of the deaths of the convicts.

"We had to fight for 17 years to ensure justice for the brutal murder of my father. My family and I are satisfied that the judgment has been implemented," said Dr Segufta Tabassum Ahmed, daughter of Taher.

She thanked everyone including the investigating officer of the case, the attorney general, judges and journalists involved in the legal process.

Meanwhile, Abdul Jalil said, "As all legal processes have been completed and their petitions to the president for sparing their lives have not been granted, their death sentences have been executed not earlier than 21 days and not later than 28 days according to the jail rules."

Rajshahi Division Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Kamal Hossain, Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Shamim Ahmed, Special Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdur Rakib, Rajshahi Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Yusuf Mohammad Farooq, Additional District Magistrate Sabiha Sultana, and other senior officials were present on the occasion.

Security has been beefed up inside and outside the jail for the executions of Taher's murder convicts. 

On February 1, 2006, Professor S Taher was murdered at Rajshahi University over a promotion dispute. 

His body was recovered from the manhole. 

On 3 February, his son Sanjid Alvi Ahmed filed a murder case against unknown persons at the Motihar Police Station. 

On 17 March 2007, the police filed a charge sheet accusing six people in the case. 

The judgment of the case was announced on 22 May 2008.

In the verdict, the Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal awarded the death penalty to Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin; Jahangir Alam; Nazmul Alam, Jahangir's brother; and Abdus Salam, a relative of Nazmul Alam. 

The court acquitted the other two accused in the charge sheet, former RU Chhatrashibir president Mahbubul Alam Salehi and Azimuddin Munshi. 

Nazmul Alam and Abdus Salam, two convicts who were sentenced to death on appeal, were commuted to life imprisonment. 

However, the death sentence of Mohiuddin and Jahangir remained.

Last Tuesday morning, the Appellate Division rejected the application seeking a stay of the execution process of the convicted Jahangir.