Legal notice seeking list of how many people have been pardoned by the president

A legal notice has been sent to publish and provide a list of the number of persons who have been commuted, suspended or reduced by the President under Article 49 of the Constitution from January 1991 to July 2024.

This notice has been sent to the Home Ministry Secretary, Law Ministry Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and President's Office Secretary.

On Sunday (August 25), Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Md. Send notice to Omar Farooq.

The notice said, it is very regrettable that for many years the President has been using his powers to pardon or commute the sentences of many criminals convicted of murder. Many death row convicts and life sentence convicts have been released from jail due to presidential pardon and are spreading fear in the society once again as mafia dons.

As a citizen, I/we have a right to know how, by what process, on whose recommendation or advocacy the President pardons or pardons tainted, odious, notorious convicts. Article 49 of the Constitution regarding pardon of the President also needs to be looked into whether there is abuse of power or any political purpose or use of any political force.

The notice also said, what is the source of the power of the President to pardon or what is the process by which he does so by any law or what are the criteria for pardoning? People need to know that. Therefore, it is requested to provide the list of names of persons who have been pardoned or suspended by the President from January 1991 to July 2024 and the details of the process by which they were pardoned within 15 days of receiving the notice.

The legal notice also mentioned that a writ will be filed in the High Court if the list of those exempted within the specified time is not received.

Bangladesh /SBT