Mohammad Bazlul Huda

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Mohammad Bazlul Huda

| native_name = মোহাম্মদ বজলুল হুদা

| native_name_lang = bn

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1949|01|19}}

| birth_place = Alamdanga, East Bengal, Pakistan

| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|01|28|1949|01|19|df=y}}

| death_place = Dhaka Central Jail, Dhaka, Bangladesh

| death_cause = Execution by hanging

| conviction_status = Executed

| conviction = Murder (assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman)

| conviction_penalty = Death

| module = {{Infobox military person |embed=yes

| rank = 20px Lieutenant Colonel

| allegiance = {{PAK}} (Before 1971)
{{BAN}}

| branch = {{army|Pakistan}}
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Mukti Bahini-DeFacto.svg}} Mukti Bahini
{{army|Bangladesh}}

| serviceyears = 1968–1980

| unit = Regiment of Artillery

| commands = *Deputy Commander of K Force

2IC of 1st Field Artillery Regiment
Commanding officer of 4th Field Artillery Regiment

| battles = Bangladesh Liberation War
15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état

| known_for = Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

}}

| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant Colonel

}}

Mohammad Bazlul Huda (died 28 January 2010) was a Bangladeshi Army officer and freedom fighter who was convicted of the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding president of Bangladesh. On 28 January 2010, Bazlul was executed along with Syed Faruque Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed, and A.K.M. Mohiuddin Ahmed in Old Dhaka Central Jail.{{Cite news |date=28 January 2010|title=5 Bangabandhu killers hanged|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-123827|access-date=6 September 2020|work=The Daily Star|language=en}}

Career

In 1973, Captain Huda was posted to 1st Field Artillery Regiment in Comilla Cantonment along with Major Shariful Haque Dalim. Dalim had gotten into a scuffle with the sons of Awami League leader Gazi Golam Mostafa. Later some officers and soldiers attacked the residence of Mostofa. The officers, including Major Dalim, lost their commissions in Bangladesh Army because of indiscipline shortly after.{{cite news |title=Shahriar's confession|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/august-15-special-coverage/shahriars-confession-1269637|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=19 November 2009}}

Huda met with other conspirators to finalize the plans on 14 August 1975.{{cite news |title=Farooq's confession|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/august-15-special-coverage/farooqs-confession-1269634|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=19 November 2009}} On 15 August 1975, Huda was part of the mutinous troops that attacked the home of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Huda along with Major S.H.M.B Noor Chowdhury shot dead Sheikh Mujib as he was coming down the stairs. Major Syed Faruque Rahman promoted Captain Huda to Major at the home of Sheikh Mujib after Mujib and his family members were killed.{{cite news |title=Major Noor, Capt Bazlul Huda shot Bangabandhu dead|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news/major-noor-capt-bazlul-huda-shot-bangabandhu-dead|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=29 July 1997}}{{cite news |title=Pasha shot dead Begum Mujib, Jamal, 2 in-laws|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-109647|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=13 October 2009}} The assassins were protected by the government of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad that took power next, through the passage of 1975 Indemnity Ordinance.{{cite news |title=Shame darker than the night|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/shame-darker-the-night-1270021|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=15 August 2016}}

In August 1989 Huda had ordered Freedom Party, the party founded by the mutinous officers, activists to attack the Bangabandhu Bhaban when Sheikh Hasina was staying there.{{cite news|title=Jail authorities asked to explain failure to produce 3 accused|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-25899|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=3 March 2008}} On 11 February 1990, a Bangladesh Awami League rally was attacked by activists of Freedom Party killing one member of Bangladesh Awami League. Huda was arrested while fleeing from the spot.{{cite news|title=Freedom Party leader Maj Joynul, 21 others jailed for 7 yrs|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-153952|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=7 September 2010}}

Trial

On 2 October 1996, AFM Mohitul Islam filed a case over the murder of Sheikh Mujib and most of his family members in 1975.{{cite news|title=Long road to justice|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-123947|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=29 January 2010}} Dhaka sessions court on 8 November 1998 had given death sentences to Huda and 14 co-defendants. The convicts filled an appeal with Bangladesh High Court. The High court gave a split verdict with one judge confirming the death penalty of all 15 while another confirmed it for 10 of the accused on 14 December 2000. A third judge only confirmed the sentence of 12 of the accused.{{cite news|title='Huda, Mohiuddin, Pasha, Noor were directly involved|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/bangabandhu-appeals/2009/10/13/huda-mohiuddin-pasha-noor-were-directly-involved|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=7 August 2017}} On 19 November 2009, Bangladesh Supreme Court confirmed the death sentences of 12 of the accused.{{cite news|title=5 Bangabandhu killers hanged|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-123827|work=The Daily Star|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en|date=28 January 2010}} On 1996, Huda was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand on charges of shoplifting and ordered to be deported to Bangladesh. He declared himself stateless and applied for asylum with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.{{cite news|title=Bangladesh arrests 3 for 1975 army coup|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/08/13/Bangladesh-arrests-3-for-1975-army-coup/1324839908800/|work=UPI|access-date=7 August 2017|language=en}}

Death

On 28 January 2010, Huda was supposedly hanged at Dhaka Central Jail along with 4 other co-conspirators.{{cite news|title='Of course, we killed him ... he had to go'|url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/feature/2014/nov/19/%E2%80%98-course-we-killed-him-he-had-go%E2%80%99|work=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=7 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807152626/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/feature/2014/nov/19/%E2%80%98-course-we-killed-him-he-had-go%E2%80%99|archive-date=7 August 2017|url-status=dead}} But in August 2024, a video has become viral where his brother claimed and revealed that he was not hanged, instead he was slaughtered by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself, for being involved in the execution of her family on 15 August 1975 and also the photos of him having marks on his throat indicating that he was indeed slaughtered instead of hanged. His family claimed that then-Prime Minister and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's daughter Sheikh Hasina herself slaughtered him by cutting his throat on 28 January 2010 at the jail. According to some newspapers, the electricity went off in the jail and the surrounding area at 11:40 PM that night. Just 20 minutes before the power outage, five coffins were brought in. During the blackout, two Pajero jeeps with tinted windows entered the jail. In one of these jeeps, Sheikh Hasina was allegedly present. Some sources suggest that Huda was never taken to the gallows that night. Instead, he was kept in a room in the administrative building. After the other four killers were hanged, Hasina allegedly went to that room, where a Hindu executioner, brought in from Kashimpur Jail, was waiting. Four men reportedly held Huda down while Hasina placed one of her feet on his chest, and the executioner slaughtered him. According to an eyewitness, Huda's blood stained Hasina's saree, Bazlul Huda was slaughtered to death by Sheikh Hasina rather than being hanged to death like his comrades.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83K5iX30Z3k |title=মেজর বজলুল হুদা'কে নির্মমভাবে হত্যার বিচার চাই।-ডিউক হুদা,জাতীয় প্রেস ক্লাব,ঢাকা।০৭/০৮/২০২৪ |date=2024-08-07 |last=DUKE HUDA |access-date=2024-10-05 |via=YouTube}} After the fall of Hasina, Huda's family filed a murder case on her and others for his alleged killing.{{cite news|url=https://suprovatsydney.com.au/2024/08/20/revolutionary-major-bazlul-huda-was-slaughtered-in-jail/|title=বিপ্লবী মেজর বজলুল হুদাকে জেলখানায় জবাই করেছিলো|trans-title=Revolutionary Major Bazlul Huda was slaughtered in jail|language=bn|date=20 August 2024|work=Suprabhat Sidney|access-date=21 August 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240821080840/https://suprovatsydney.com.au/2024/08/20/revolutionary-major-bazlul-huda-was-slaughtered-in-jail/|archive-date=21 August 2024|url-status=live}}