War criminal Ghulam Azam burial decision after sons' return

A decision is yet to be taken on burying war criminal Ghulam Azam, his lawyer Tajul Islam has said.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 Oct 2014, 08:02 AM
Updated : 24 Oct 2014, 11:43 AM

He told reporters on Friday morning Azam's sons might return home by afternoon.

The decision on his funeral prayers and burial would be taken then, he added.

Azam, who led the Jamaat during 1971, became synonymous with Bangladesh's anti-liberation forces for his notorious role in the Liberation War.

His son Abdullahil Azmi had said five of his brothers were abroad.

The 92-year old Jamaat ideologue died at the BSMMU Thursday night while serving a 90-year sentence for his war crimes handed down on July 15 last year.

Azam had come out strongly in support of a united Pakistan and masterminded conspiracies to thwart Bangladesh's birth.

The war criminal, who never apologised or regretted going against the Bangalees, only served one year and three months for his war-time atrocities.

His body was handed over to his family on Friday morning after a post-mortem examination. It is being kept in an air-conditioned ambulance at his Moghbazar residence.

Lawyer Tajul Islam said preparations were being taken to bury him at Moghbazar graveyard as per his 'last wish'.

On Thursday, Azmi said his father's wish was either Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee or Motiur Rahman Nizami would lead his funeral prayers. But since both are behind bars, the party and family members would decide who would moderate the janaza.

Sayedee is a convicted war criminal and Jamaat chief Nizami is being tried on war crimes charges.

Tajul said, "His (Azam's) lawyers will apply to the government if his family decides to respect his last wish."