News Desk :
Shahjahan Bhuiyan, a hangman for 26 convicts, including killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and war criminals, has walked out of prison after serving 32 years for robbery and murder.
No one was waiting outside to welcome the 73-year-old as he has no home to return to after his release from Dhaka Central Jail on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
“I feel great,” said Shahjahan, wearing a white shirt and white pants, with his moustache and hair dyed red.
When he was 40 years old in 1991, still unmarried, Shahjahan was sentenced to 42 years in prison, but the term was commuted by 10 years and five months for different reasons.
He has played a role as a hangman since 2001, which earned him fame as the ‘Jallad’, meaning the executioner, during his time behind bars. Among those he executed were many infamous and influential people, and each of those hangings dragged Shahjahan to the spotlight.
The government commuted his sentence by two months for every execution he carried out, totalling four years and four months for his service to the state. His good behaviour in prison and other aspects cut some more years off his sentence.
With nowhere to call home after his release, Shahjahan, a native of Ichhakhali village in Narsingdi, headed to the house of another inmate he had befriended in prison.
Talking about the friend who invited him home, Shahjahan said: “He is a very good person. I’m going with him and will stay there for some time.”
Mahbubul Islam, a jailer, said: “We could not find any of his relatives. He did have a sister, but she did not come. He was released around 11:45 am and someone he met in prison took him away.”
Asked about his family, Shahjahan said: “I have a sister but I’ve never seen her. We spoke over the phone. She never came to visit me either.”
“I have no home. I will stay at someone else’s house,” he said, requesting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to give him a place to live.
Asked whether he fears for his safety after executing so many influential people and criminals, Shahjahan said: “I didn’t order the hangings. The state ordered me to do it.”
