The Supreme Court today cleared the way for executing war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, rejecting the Jamaat leader’s petition to review death sentence.
Though authorities of the Dhaka Central Jail, where the death row convict has been kept, can now execute Mollah, known as ‘Koshai Quader’ for his brutal style of torture during the 1971 Liberation War, anytime, they might wait till sunset, according to sources.
This Star photo taken on February 5 shows, getting life term from a war crimes tribunal, Quader Mollah flashes the V-sign that triggered widespread outrage. The condemned criminal known as Koshai Quader will be executed after zero hours tonight.
Executions are usually carried out after zero hours when the prisoners are kept inside their cells, a prisons official told The Daily Star, adding that anytime after sunset is suitable for the execution.
A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, dismissed Mollah’s petition on completion of hearing the petition submitted just a few hours ahead of the Jamaat leader’s scheduled execution Tuesday night.
Unhappy over the ruling, the pro-Jamaat lawyers demonstrated angry protest on the SC premises.
Hailing the ruling, different student organisation brought out processions in the capital.
Hundreds of people, especially youths, rushed to Gonojagoron Manch at Shahbagh to celebrate the court sentencing
“It’s another victory for the nation in this month of victory,” said Imran H Sarker, the convenor of the youth platform that came into being on February 5, the day when the International Crimes Tribunal passed a life-term sentence on Mollah.
COURT PROCEEDINGS
When the court sat around 9:30am, it first heard arguments whether the petition could be accepted.
As the court asked chief defence counsel Abdur Razzak to start hearing on merit of the review petition, the latter asked it whether it had accepted the petition.
The court said it was yet to take any decision on the maintainability of the petition.
Then, the defence counsel started placing arguments on merit of the petition.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam was present in the court.
Three hours before Mollah was scheduled to be hanged Tuesday night, his counsels moved to Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, chamber judge of the Supreme Court to stay the petition.
Responding, the chamber judge stayed the execution process till 10:30am the next day.
Source: The Daily Star
