Dhaka, Jan 29 (IANS) Efforts were on to bring back to Bangladesh six fugitive killers of the country’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a minister said.
The minister’s statement came after five convicted former army officers were hanged in Dhaka Central Jail Thursday for the assassination of Rahman - known as Bangabandhu - his wife, three sons and two daughters-in-law in a bloody putsch Aug 15, 1975.

“The home and foreign ministries are working to bring the fugitives back. Interpol has already issued red alert notices against them,” The Daily Star Friday quoted Law Minister Shafique Ahmed as saying.

Ahmed said out of 12 convicted for the military putsch, one died in Zimbabwe while six were hiding in different countries, including Canada and Libya.

The six absconding people are Lt Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Lt Col (retd) Nur Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) A.M. Rashed Chowdhury, Capt Abdul Mazed and Risalder Moslehuddin.

Ahmed said the Canadian government is helping Bangladesh to return fugitive Noor Chowdhury. “Only the legal formalities are pending now.”

The absconding killers have to face the same fate as the five former army officers who were hanged, he said.

The five condemned prisoners - Lieutenant Colonels Syed Farook Rahman, Shahriar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed, A.K.M. Mohiuddin and Major Bazlul Huda - were hanged shortly after midnight.

Sources told The Daily Star that the government has specific information about two of the six absconding convicts.

Lt Col (retd) A.M. Rashed Chowdhury now resides in the US and was trying to get political asylum in Canada while Lt Col (retd) Nur Chowdhury, after a long stay in Germany, has also sought political asylum in Canada.

On Nov 19 last year, the apex court confirmed death sentences to a dozen ex-army personnel, including the five who were hanged Thursday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is Mujibur Rahman’s daughter, ignored a plea by Amnesty International, a US-based human rights watchdog, that the death sentences be converted into life imprisonment.