The secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami was sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal on July 17, 2013 for murdering teachers and intellectuals and for his involvement in torturing and killing Hindus in 1971.
Mujahid had sought a review of the verdict but the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division upheld the tribunal’s decision on June 16.
On Wednesday, the Chief Justice SK Sinha-led bench rejected his petition to review the death penalty, clearing all legal hurdles to his execution.
“The judgment reflects the expectations of freedom fighters. This is what we wanted,” said Nur Mohammad Babul, former commander of Faridpur’s Muktijoddha Sangsad (freedom fighters’ council).
Abul Foyez Shahnewaz, commander of the district chapter of Muktijoddha Sangsad, said: “We, the freedom fighters, now want a quick execution of the verdict.”
“The upholding of Mujahid’s [death] penalty has cleansed our Faridpur of the stigma of being the birthplace of such evil war criminals,” said freedom fighter Syed Masud Hossain, who is also acting general secretary of the district Awami League.
Ranjit Nath Babu, who testified against Mujahid before the war crimes tribunal, said, “I used to be scared of Mujahid’s reprisals. Now I am relieved.”
Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar was sentenced to death in Jan 21, 2013.
Later, Abdul Qader Molla was convicted and hanged for his war crimes.
BNP leader Zahid Hossain alias Khokan Razakar, too, has been given the death penalty for his crimes during the Liberation War.