DHAKA: The Supreme Court Appellate Division on Tuesday (March 8) upheld the death penalty of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali for his war crimes committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

A 5-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha, pronounced the appeal verdict in the morning.

The other four members include Justice Mirza Hossain Haider, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice Mohammad Bazlur Rahman.

Earlier on February 24, the apex court set the date to pronounce of verdict after both the prosecution and defense concluded their arguments.

On the day of appeal hearing, the attorney general completed his argument in the appeal case. In reply, Mir Quasem’s chief counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain placed his final argument.

On February 9, the apex court started hearing the argument on appeal filed challenging the death penalty for war crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader.

Mir Quasem Ali’s lawyer SM Shahjahan submitted written arguments to the court on the day.

On January 6, the appellate division fixed February 2 as the date of appeal hearing. Later, the court re-fixed February 9 as the date after an appeal by the defense lawyer.

Earlier on November 2 in 2014, a three-member panel of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan awarded death sentence to the Jamaat leader in the 11th number of charge.

As per the verdict, Mir Quasem Ali was proved guilty in 10 charges out of 14. The charge numbers are: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,9,10, 11, 12 and 14.

On November 30 of that year, he filed the appeal seeking acquittal from all charges.

The 62-year-old was the chief of Chittagong Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of Pakistani army.

** Mir Quasem appeal verdict in morning

BDST: 0951 HRS, MAR 08, 2016
SR