Canada to deport Sheikh Mujib's fugitive killer: Law minister

A fugitive killer of Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujib is to be deported after Canada rejected his plea for asylum, amid stepped up efforts by the Awami League government to bring to justice the absconders in the assassination, the law minister has said.

Shafique Ahmed said yesterday that Canada has ordered the deportation of ex-Major Noor Chowdhury, rejecting his asylum prayers. "Canada has rejected the prayer of condemned convict Noor Chowdhury seeking asylum  in that country," Ahmed said.

The development comes days after Bangladesh's Supreme Court upheld the death sentence on 12 of the killers of  Rahman after final appeal hearing. The Interpol has already issued "red alert" to nab the fugitives linked to the assassination of Sheikh Mujib who are believed to be living abroad.

Former military officer Chowdhury, according to the murder trial proceedings, shot Sheikh Mujib dead along with ex-Maj Bazlul Huda. Ahmed, however, said Chowdhury still had an option to stay back, seeking a court intervention.

Chowdhury would be third wanted convict in the case to be deported. In 1998 Huda was returned home from Thai jail after Dhaka and Bangkok signed an extradition treaty, while the US deported another convict of the case ex-Lt Col. AKM Mohiuddin in 2007.

Sheikh Mujib, popularly called Bangabandhu, who led Bangladesh to independence in 1971, was gunned down at his home in a posh Dhanmandi area, along with his wife and three sons in a coup on August 15, 1975.

Earlier, home minister Sahara Khatun said the government has started the process to bring back the absconding killers. The apex court upheld the death sentence awarded to the 12 killers by a lower court in 1998.

The six fugitives are sacked Lt Col Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haq Dalim, Noor Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury, Captain Mazed and Risaldar Moslem Uddin.

As per reports, six of the 12 convicted killers of Sheikh Mujib were holed up in Libya, US, Canada, Pakistan and Kenya, while one died in Zimbabwe. According to sources, Rashid, one of the key plotters of the massacre, has settled Libya, where he has been involved in construction business. He often visits Pakistan and Singapore, the report said.

Dalim lives in Pakistan, and frequently travels to Libya and Kenyan capital Nairobi where he has businesses, it said. The report, based on intelligence sources, said Nur Chowdhury and Rashed Chowdhury are in Canada and the US.

Rashed is trying to secure asylum in the US. The home minister said the absconding killers were on the move from one country to another to avoid being extradited.

Hasina-led Awami League initiated moves to sign extradition treaties with different countries to bring back the condemned convicts in 1996.

The five, who will face the gallows, are sacked army officers Lt Col Syed Faruq Rahman, Sultan Shariar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed, AKM Mohiuddin and Huda.