Attack on UK envoy: Huji man seeks presidential mercy

Anwar Choudhury

Delwar Hossain Ripon, who was awarded death penalty for carrying out a grenade attack on then UK envoy in Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury in 2004, sought presidential clemency today.

Three members of banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (Huji) including its chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and Ripon were sentenced to death for the attack.

Ripon, who is now in Sylhet jail, wrote an application addressing the president and handed it over to the jail superintendent today.

On May 21, 2004, three people were killed and around 70 others, including Anwar Choudhury, hurt in the grenade attack at the Sylhet shrine after Juma prayers.

The Bangladesh-born British diplomat, then barely 18 days into his new assignment, suffered minor leg injuries.

The Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal on December 23, 2008, sentenced Mufti Hannan, Bipul and Ripon to death, and Muhibullah alias Muhibur Rahman alias Ovi and Mufti Main Uddin alias Abu Zandal to life imprisonment in the case.

The HC on February 11 last year confirmed the capital punishments for the three and upheld the life sentences of Ovi and Abu Zandal.

On December 7, 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed the convicts' appeals and upheld their penalties for carrying out the attack.