Untold Facts

AI’s Call for Commutation of Death Sentence: Let us Appreciate

The Amnesty International (AI), the world famous humanitarian organization, as reports published in Dhaka in some dailies both English and Bengali on the 21 November, 2009, has requested the Bangladesh President and the Prime Minister to commute the death sentences passed in the SC of Bangladesh on the 19th November verdict in the matter of the case of the 15th August 1975 unfortunate bloodletting in Dhaka.

The AI for some years past is opposed to any death sentence, just as other organizations like the Human Rights Watch, the European Union, the UNO since after the 18th December 2008 resolution, etc. for their just stand for Right to Life of human being.

94 countries of the world as of June 2009 have already abolished capital punishment.

Bangladesh still has the age old British Cr.P.C. and death penalty, but in Britain the capital punishment is long abandoned.

Bangladesh is a Muslim country and for Muslims Islamic laws should be applicable. Islam provides though death sentence but provides alternatively in the holy Quran at the same time for Qisas or forgiveness by the victim or the victim’s family members and Diyah or agreed compensation money from the accused payable to the victim’s family.

Let us appreciate the AI in the matter and also urge upon the Bangladesh authorities to commute the death sentence of the 12 accused passed on the 19th November verdict of the Supreme Court for showing respect not only to the international opinion and also for internal understanding.

Author: dr.M.T. Hussain