President Zillur Rahman has pardoned 897 convicts, including the son of the deputy leader of the House, earlier sentenced to different terms in 972 cases.

Planning Minister and In-Charge of president's office in parliamentary affairs AK Khandker yesterday placed a list of convicts in the parliament in response to a query from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad.

Of the pardoned convicts, Shahdab, son of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, was the luckiest as he obtained presidential clemency without surrendering to the court. He was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment in absentia in four graft cases during the caretaker government rule.

However, some of the convicts on the list have already completed their terms and were released.

According to Article 49 of the constitution, the president holds the power to grant pardon, reprieve, respite and remit and suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.