1975 Jail Killing

On 15 August 1975, President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed in a coup d'état, and the Awami League led government was overthrown. == History ==

The military administration had placed around 50 Awami League activists, including the four senior Awami League leaders, in Dhaka Central Jail. The four were former president Syed Nazrul Islam, former prime ministers Tajuddin Ahmed and Muhammad Mansur Ali, and president of the Awami League Abul Hasnat Muhammad Qamaruzzaman. The army personnel marched into the jail and shot the four leaders in their jail cell, killing all except Muhammad Mansur Ali. After hearing the groans and dying Ali call for water, one of the prison guards, Motaleb, informed the jail officials. An amry team who had returned to the entrance of the jail, returned and bayoneted all four leaders in their jail cells resulting in their death. ==Aftermath==

On 3 November 1975, Major General Khaled Mosharraf and Colonel Shafaat Jamil launched a successful counter coup to remove President Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad and the killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from power. ==Trial==

Investigation A first information report was filed with Lalbagh police station about the four murders, and its officer in charge, ABM Fazlul Karim, was tasked with investigating the incident. Deputy Superintendent of Police Saifuddin Ahmed was appointed the investigation officer, but he was not allowed to visit the jail cell. Verdict Metropolitan Sessions Judge Motiur Rahman issued an arrest warrant against Deputy Superintendent of Police Saifuddin Ahmed on 30 September 2004 after he failed to appear before the court due to ill health. Bangladesh Nationalist Party member of parliament KM Obaidur Rahman described the trial as harassment. Marfot Ali Shah, Moslemuddin, and Abdul Hashem Mridha were sentenced to death. The court upheld the sentence of only Moslemuddin. In 2013, a full bench of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, composed of Chief Justice Md. Muzammel Hossain, Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Md. Abdul Wahhab Miah, Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, and Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, gave a verdict in the appeal of the jail killing case. In 2022 the Awami League government was trying to bring one accused, Mohamed Khairuzzaman, back from Malaysia, where he had served as the ambassador of Bangladesh. Abdul Majed was detained on 7 April 2020 and executed on 12 April. == Legacy ==

3 November is remembered as Jail Killing Day in Bangladesh. Annual programs are organised throughout the country to mark the day. == References ==