Chief state counsel Anisul Haque said the nation has finally seen justice in the Bangabandhu murder case. "The court had received appeals from the convicts for hearing on five specific points and accepted prosecution's deliberations on each point and rejected the presentations of the defence counsels," he told a press briefing after the verdict yesterday.

"The court in its verdict said the defence could not present any point that might help commute the penalty of the convicts. So, the court has upheld the ruling of the High Court," he said. "As per the jail code, the verdict will have to be executed between 21 and 28 days on receipt of the copy of the judgment by jail authority," he said. "According to section 991 of the jail code, the convicts can seek presidential clemency. They are allowed to do that in the period between 21 and 28 days," he said.

On filing review petition by the convicts, Haque said: "The convicts can file review petition following the article 105 of the Constitution. The petition should be filed within 30 days." Anisul Haque said, "Death penalty of the 12 convicts will remain upheld. The previous ruling given by the Appellate Division on halting execution has been revoked with the SC judgment." "The court has handed down the verdict rejecting the appeals of those convicts who had filed appeals against the High Court ruling. Those who did not file appeal, the High Court verdict will remain effective for them, "he said.

He told a questioner that it would be the jurisdiction of the court whether it would allow the absconding convicts to file leave to appeal if they surrender. Expressing his feeling on the verdict in an emotional voice he said, "We have received justice after waiting for a long 34 years." "I pray for peace of the souls of the victims of that day," he added. The five appellants are dismissed Lt Colonel Syed Faruque Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Mohiuddin Ahmed (Artillery), Major Md Bazlul Huda and Major A K M Mohiuddin Ahmed (Lancer).

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam describing yesterday's verdict as epoch making said, "It'll be remembered as one of the greatest trials in the history of mankind." Terming Khondaker Mushtaq Ahmed as a "traitor", for enacting the notorious Indemnity Ordinance, which barred the trial for 21 years, the Attorney General said, "Later, the military rulers Ziaur Rahman and (Hussain Muhammad) Ershad backed the black law." He said Moshtaque Ahmed, proclaimed Indemnity Ordinance in 1975 obstructing the holding of trial of the killers of Father of the Nation. The convicts had been given all legal support during the hearing, he said. The judgment in the Bangabandhu murder case, he said has freed the country from nearly three-and-half decade long stigma.

The Attorney General thanked to A.F.M. Mohitul Islam for lodging the First Information Report (FIR) with police and Abdul Kahhar Akand for conducting an impartial as well as proper investigation into the case that led to yesterday's historic verdict. "The people are now confident enough that rule of law will now be re-established in the country," he said. Complainant of the case A.F.M. Mohitul Islam, a receptionist and resident PA at Bangabandhu's house in 1975, paid his deep respects to the memories of those who were assassinated in the gruesome killing on August 15, 1975.

-New Nation