Bangladesh
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi passed away at the age of 83 from heart disease
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the former Jamaat E Islami leader, popular religious preacher, and “convicted war criminal” by a controversial trial has died today.
Dhaka, August 14, 2023 – Delwar Hossain Sayeedi passed away at 8:40 pm today, as reported by medical professionals at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
The Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU, Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, stated that an official announcement of his demise will be forthcoming.
Sayeedi, a prominent leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, had been undergoing medical treatment at the BSMMU due to a severe cardiac arrest. His health took a turn for the worse after complaining of chest pain around 2:00 pm on Sunday while incarcerated at the Kashimpur Central Jail. He was subsequently transferred to the Shahabuddin Medical College in Dhaka under the care of jail doctors and later referred to BSMMU for further treatment.
The late Sayeedi, who once held the position of Member of Parliament for Pirojpur-1, Barisal, from 1996 to 2006, faced legal troubles when he was arrested in 2010 on charges of inciting religious unrest. In a subsequent turn of events on August 2 of the same year, he was apprehended on allegations of committing crimes against humanity.
In a landmark ruling in February 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh found Sayeedi guilty of eight out of twenty alleged charges relating to atrocities committed during the Liberation War. His offenses included aiding the Pakistani Army with classified information, as well as engaging in acts of rape, arson, and looting.
The verdict prompted a significant response, with the Jamaat party calling for a strike that spiraled into violence, leading to the tragic loss of over 50 lives. Subsequent legal proceedings saw his sentence initially reduced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in September 2014. However, on February 17, 2018, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi’s passing marks the end of a chapter in a tumultuous legal saga that spanned over a decade, leaving behind a legacy of controversy and division.
Bangladesh’s High Court has upheld the death sentences of former police officials Pradeep Kumar Das and Liaqat Ali in the murder of retired Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan, describing Pradeep as the “mastermind” and principal planner of the killing. The 378-page verdict, delivered on 2 June, was uploaded to the Supreme Court website on 23 November.
The court observed that Pradeep was present at the scene and pressed his shoe-clad foot on Sinha’s chest and neck, ensuring his death—an allegation supported by witness testimonies and the post-mortem report. The court further noted that Liaqat Ali fired four shots at the unarmed victim in a premeditated manner, causing his death.
Stating that the trial court had correctly applied Section 302 of the Penal Code, the High Court upheld the earlier sentences: death for Pradeep and Liaqat, and life imprisonment for six others found guilty of conspiracy, aiding the crime, and sharing a common intention.
Major Sinha was shot dead at a police checkpoint in Shamlapur on 31 July 2020. The Cox’s Bazar court delivered the initial verdict on 31 January 2022. Following procedure, the death reference was sent to the High Court, while the convicts also filed appeals. With the High Court verdict now affirmed, the defence is expected to appeal to the Appellate Division once the certified copy is received.
Two people, including a van driver, were killed after a passenger bus struck a van in Chuadanga Sadar’s Alokdia Bazar on Sunday afternoon. Two others were injured, with both critically wounded victims transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
The deceased were identified as Parveen Akhter, 45, of Monirampur village in Alokdia Union, and van driver Ramzan Ali, 26, who later died on the way to the hospital. The injured—Israt from Rajapur and Shabdul from Jhenaidah’s Kotchandpur—remain under treatment.
According to police, the bus was travelling from Chuadanga to Meherpur when it rammed into the van from behind at Alokdia Bazar. One of the van passengers died on the spot. Rescue teams transported the injured to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, from where two were referred to Rajshahi due to their critical condition.
Additional Police Superintendent Mostafizur Rahman said legal procedures are underway and the bodies will be handed over to the families. The bus driver fled the scene after the accident.
Authorities in Meherpur have fined Nivalak Paints Bangladesh Ltd. Tk 200,000 for illegally producing paint. The penalty was imposed during a joint operation conducted by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and RAB on Sunday afternoon.
Mamunul Hasan, Assistant Director of the Consumer Rights Directorate in Meherpur, said the factory had been producing paint without proper authorization for an extended period. During the raid, officials found evidence supporting the violation and imposed the fine accordingly.
The same operation also penalized two other establishments: Shahin Traders was fined Tk 15,000 for selling oil and gas without a valid license, while New Bengal Foods was fined Tk 5,000 for producing bakery items in an unhygienic environment.
RAB-12 Meherpur Company Commander Lt. Wahiduzzaman and Food Safety Officer Riaz Mahmud were also present during the operation,
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