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Delwar Hossain Sayeedi Passes Away
Convicted War Criminal Delwar Hossain Sayeedi Passes Away While Under Treatment
Renowned Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, who had been serving a life sentence for his involvement in heinous crimes during the Liberation War, passed away today at 8:40 pm, as confirmed by medical authorities at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). The Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU, Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, stated that an official declaration of his demise will be forthcoming.
Sayeedi had been undergoing treatment at the BSMMU after suffering a cardiac arrest. His health had deteriorated since his initial imprisonment, and his condition worsened when he complained of severe chest pain on Sunday. He was promptly taken from Kashimpur Central Jail to Shahabuddin Medical College in Dhaka, and due to the severity of his condition, he was subsequently referred to the BSMMU for specialized medical care.
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, who once represented the Pirojpur-1 constituency in the Barisal region as a member of parliament from 1996 to 2006, was arrested in 2010 on charges of causing offense to religious sentiments. Subsequently, on 2 August of the same year, he was apprehended for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity.
Following a thorough legal process, Sayeedi was found guilty of eight out of twenty alleged charges related to the Liberation War and was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh in February 2013. The charges against him encompassed grave offenses such as divulging confidential information to the Pakistani Army, rape, arson, and looting.
The pronouncement of his death sentence led to a tumultuous turn of events. Jamaat-e-Islami called for a strike, which escalated into violence and resulted in the tragic loss of over 50 lives. In a subsequent legal development, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court in September 2014. However, on 17 February 2018, he was once again sentenced to death by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi’s passing marks the conclusion of a deeply contentious and protracted legal saga that has held the nation’s attention for years. It underscores the complex interplay between justice, historical reckoning, and the wounds of a nation still healing from its past.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
