The Dhaka Times Desk It is reported that private avenues are being pursued to reduce the sentence of Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, a Bangladeshi youth convicted in the US Federal Court.
According to the media, after the Bangladeshi youth Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis was sentenced to 30 years in prison in the United States Federal Court, there have been demands in various circles that initiatives should be taken to waive his sentence, reduce the term of the sentence or send him to the country's prison. This argument is also given by citing the examples of the United States taking away their convicted citizens from various countries of the world including Bangladesh.
But how much is possible? Those who are talking about this or how reasonable claims? When BanglaNews contacted experts and related parties at various levels to find out about this, mixed statements were received in this regard.
They said that the possibility of such an initiative from the government is slim. Even if they think that such an initiative can be done privately, they feel that the results of these initiatives will not be very positive.
The permanent representative of the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations spoke about the matter. With AK Abdul Momen. Dr. living in the United States for a long time for study, teaching and professional reasons and in the light of diplomatic experience. Momen said, it is impossible for the government to take such an initiative. When a country has tried and sentenced someone under its own law, the government of another country cannot demand that the sentence be quashed or commuted.
In the past, Dr. mentions such incidents. Momen said, all of them have been done at the private level. He said that Bill Richardson, the one-time energy minister of the United States, also brought one of their prisoners from Bangladesh. But he is not as a minister but as a human rights leader of the United States.
Apart from Bill Richardson, former President Jimmy Carter, black leader Jesse Jackson have at various times freed their citizens from different countries around the world.
In 1996, Bill Richardson freed American girl Eliada from Bangladesh. Eliada had served four and a half years in jail in Bangladesh by then. He was arrested for drug trafficking at the age of 18. Richardson Seva met the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said, 'At the age of 18, the girl made a mistake. He got into this job after falling into the hands of the drug trafficking gang. He can be forgiven.'
Richardson's presence was the reason for Eliada's release. However, this embassy of Bill Richardson is not for the US government, it was his own initiative. He did it because of international acceptance. Former US President Jimmy Carter has brought their citizens from different countries of the world. Efforts continue to extradite Korean-American Kenneth Bae, the latest Christian missionary detained in North Korea.
In addition, two American citizens came to the country freed from Gambia in 2012 at the embassy of famous American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. They are Amadou Janneh and Tamsir Jaseh. Both are of Gambian origin and obtained citizenship after studying in the United States. Jesse Jackson spoke face-to-face with Gambian President Yava Jammeh about the matter. Based on this, the two citizens were released.
Amadu also accused Janneh of printing t-shirts with the anti-government slogan 'Stop Dictatorship' in his home country from the US. For this he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. After spending 15 months in jail, he was released through the intercession of Jesse Jackson.
Jaseh was accused of driving an opposition leader to the border with Senegal. He was also sentenced to 20 years imprisonment of which he was released after serving 6 years.
Dr. AK Abdul Momen said, 'We saw that none of the initiatives were of the government level. Jimmy Carter, Bill Richardson or Jesse Jackson are all known worldwide by their names. They have a respect and acceptance in the world. As a result, releasing them in the embassy was a sign of respect for the heads of state or government of the countries.
If you want to know who can take such an initiative from Bangladesh, Dr. Momen Nobel-winning economist and founder of Grameen Bank. Muhammad Yunus or BRAC chief Sir Fazle Hasan Abed mentioned. He said, both of them are internationally famous. If the initiative is taken on their behalf, it will be acceptable to many.
But the crimes of the citizens the United States has extradited have been of a modest scale. There are more such incidents in countries around the world. Voice of America's New York representative Zakia Khan thinks that the United States may not release Nafis, or reduce the term of the sentence, considering the level of the crime. He said, 'Forgiveness also has merit-disqualification.'
In the light of living in the United States for a long time and experience in journalism, Zakia Khan said, 'When students are involved in any crime here, the government takes it very seriously. Nafis has been given an exemplary sentence for this reason. So that in the future no other students will involve themselves in such crimes.'
But there is also a human side to Nafees' case, Zakia Khan says, noting that 'a small boy has been dragged into such a crime. It is in that light that initiatives can be taken to reduce his sentence somewhat.'
This journalist also thinks that the initiative can be at the private level and not at the government level. Dr. He also mentioned Muhammad Yunus. He said, 'He has a great acceptance in the United States. He has received two of the country's highest honors. Which is a rare event.'
But the Bangladesh government is also concerned about the matter. There is also an instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to keep track of this matter all the time. Consul General of Bangladesh Consulate in New York, Monirul Islam said, through this verdict, a name of terrorism has been given to Bangladesh. The government wanted everything to prove Nafis innocent. But it was not possible to contact Nafis about the matter. And since he himself admitted the guilt, nothing more could be done for the government. Monirul Islam said that despite trying to hire a lawyer for Nafis, it could not be done. Monirul Islam said that he has started working to establish new communication and said that the government is not putting an end to the matter now.
Council member Daniel Drom, who is very popular with the Bangladeshi community in New York, thinks that a positive result can be obtained if there is such an initiative at the government or private level. He said, 'There is a question about such trapping of youth through sting operation. And it shouldn't in any way. Daniel Drom also thinks that if there is such an initiative from Bangladesh, it will have the cooperation of the human rights movement of the United States. He said he did not know the details of the case. However, he does not agree with the ongoing attempt to associate Islam and Muslims with terrorism.
But whatever. One thing is clear to everyone and that is that the Bangladeshi youth has been sentenced. And everyone knows that if you are sentenced in the United States, you have to serve it completely. And therefore it is necessary to take very quick action regarding Nafis, whether public or private. The future of such a young man will be lost forever - that is not desirable to anyone. Humans make mistakes - but they should be given a chance to correct their mistakes. Source: Our Time Online.
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