Notorious criminal Ershad Shikder, who will be hanged on May 10, yesterday threatened to stop eating from this evening if the jail authorities did not let him know the outcome of his mercy petition.

The infamous gangland boss of Khulna placed the petition before President lajuddin Ahmed to evade death penalty.

Jail sources said a deputy jailer has been specially assigned to keep Ershad in the dark about his execution and his petition for mercy.

Ershad is also pressing jail guards not to produce him before court for hearing in any other case, sources added.

Since the president rejected his petition, there is no need to produce him before any court in other cases, the jail authorities said.

Under the jail code, he will be informed of his penalty two hours before the execution. The jail authorities will make arrangements for him to meet his first wife Khodeja, sons and daughter and only sister on the eve of execution.