Death warrant read out to war criminal Jamaat leader Mujahid in Dhaka jail

The death warrant for war crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid has been read out to him.

The 67-year-old Jamaat secretary general is in Dhaka Central Jail now.

Jail Superintendent Md Jahangir Kabir said the death warrant was read out to him after it reached the jail on Thursday afternoon.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) also sent the death warrant of BNP leader Salaudin Quader Chowdhury to Gazipur’s Kashimpur Jail, where the 66-year-old war criminal is presently lodged.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday published and sent to the ICT the full verdicts of Chowdhury and Mujahid’s appeals against death sentences.

Wrapped in a red cloth, the warrants were given to the Dhaka Central Jail’s superintendent by an ICT team led by its Senior Research Officer Parvez Ahmed.

Copies of the warrants were also sent to the home ministry and the offices of the deputy commissioner and district magistrate, paving the way for their execution.

The death-row convicts can now appeal for a review within 15 days. The counting of the period starts from the day the defence gets the copy of the appeal verdict, or the death warrant is read out to the convict, whichever happens first.

According to the law, the government will start the process of execution through the jail authorities after the reading out of the death warrant.

But the convict cannot be executed before the resolution of the review petition, if filed.

Advocate-on-Record Zainul Abedin Tuhin told bdnews24.com on Thursday evening that he received the copies of the full verdicts.

He said they would file review petitions and informed the chief prosecutor about this through a notice.

The government will take step as per law after the resolution of the review petitions.

After the petition is dismissed, the order will be sent to the jail. The authorities will then execute the convicts following government decision.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government would follow the law in going ahead with the procedures.