Executioner Shahjahan passes away

Shahjahan Bhuiyan, the executioner of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's killer and other death row convicts, has passed away at the age of 74.

He passed away around 5:30am on Monday while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital in Dhaka.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station Investigation Officer Sojib Dey confirmed the information.

He said: “Shahjahan died around 5:30am at the hospital while under treatment. His family members have arrived. After the legal procedures are completed, the body will be handed over to the family.”

The police reported that he was taken to hospital around 3:30am after he began experiencing chest pain.

Family sources reported that he passed away around 5:30am. His sister, Firoza, arrived to receive the body. After completing the legal formalities, he will be laid to rest in Ichakhali village of Palash Upazila in Narsingdi.

Shahjahan Bhuiyan was born on March 26, 1950. He had one brother and three sisters, two of whom have passed away.

After spending a long time in prison during his youth, he remained unmarried. However, after his release, he married a young woman, but the marriage did not last. He also faced legal complications over this matter.

After serving over 31 years in prison, Shahjahan was released on June 18, 2023. 

He was originally sentenced to 42 years in prison in two cases of robbery, murder, and violation of the Arms Act. However, as a reward for his work as an executioner, good behaviour, and meritorious deeds in prison, he received a remission of 10 years, 5 months, and 28 days. He was fined a total of Tk10,000 in those two cases, Tk5,000 per case, which was paid by the prison authorities at the time of his release.

Shahjahan, who got involved in local politics during his student life, did not take long to enter the world of crime. After committing severe crimes such as robbery and murder, he was first arrested on December 17, 1991, and brought to Manikganj District Jail. 

There, he was convicted in two cases and sentenced to 42 years in prison. His prisoner number was 2589/A. He expressed his desire to become an executioner to the prison authorities to reduce his sentence.

Later, as an assistant, he started his life as an executioner by hanging Nurul Islam from Gafargaon. Eventually, Shahjahan was transferred from Manikganj District Jail to Dhaka Central Jail, where he was given the position of the chief executioner.

According to prison records, Executioner Shahjahan carried out the executions of 26 notable individuals, including six assassins of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four war criminals, notorious criminal Ershad Shikdar, militant leader Bangla Bhai and Ataur Rahman Sunny, Sharmin Rima murder accused Khuku and Monir, and Daisy murder case accused Hasan.