With hundreds of people jamming the streets outside demanding their execution, five ex-army officers, who assassinated Bangladesh’s founder president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 35 years ago, were hanged shortly after midnight at the central jail here.
The execution of the five men, who were all at least in their 60s, took just 40 minutes though the process of bringing them to the gallows took 35 years since they assassinated the Bangabandhu along with most members of his family in a coup on August 15, 1975.
Mujibur Rahman was killed along with his wife and three sons, including 10-year-old Russel. His daughters, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, survived the carnage as they were abroad at the time of the incident.
Ex-Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed and former Major Bazlul Huda were hanged first as the execution process started late last night while ex-Lieutenant Colonel Syed Faruq Rahman was the third to be executed minutes later.
Former lieutenant colonels Shahriar Rashid Khan and AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed were the last to walk to the gallows.
The five death convicts were hanged hours after the Supreme Court rejected their review plea, jail officials said.
The bodies were handed over to their relatives.
Hundreds of onlookers crowded the streets outside the jail with many chanting slogans demanding their execution.
