Family of death-row war criminal Mir Quasem meets him in Kashimpur prison

Ten family members have met war crimes convict and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali in Kashimpur prison in Gazipur.

His wife Khandker Ayesha Khatun, two daughters Sumaiya Rabeya and Tahera Tasnim, daughters-in-law Shaheda Tahmida and Tahmina Aktar, nephew Hasan Jamal and four grandchildren arrived at the jail around 2pm on Wednesday.

They were allowed to enter and meet Mir Quasem, said Prashanta Kumar Banik, Superintendent of Central Jail-2 at Kashimpur.

Earlier in the morning, prison authorities read out to Mir Quasem the Appellate Division verdict rejecting the war criminal's plea to review his death sentence.

After that, he sought time to decide on whether he would file a petition to seek the president's mercy by repenting for his crimes to dodge the hangman's noose, said Banik.

Losing the last legal battle at the top appeals court on Tuesday has left the pro-Pakistan Al-Badr militia commander with one last option - seeking pardon from the president.

The government will start the process to execute the death sentence if the president rejects the petition or if the Jamaat financier does not seek clemency.

Mir Quasem had heard the news of the Supreme Court dismissing his review petition on a radio in the condemned cell he is currently in.

A prison official said he appeared 'a bit tensed' after the verdict was read out to him.

Police had arrested Jammat's Central Executive Council member Mir Quasem on Jun 17, 2012, in the war crimes case. His trial started on Sep 5 next year.

Since his arrest, Mir Quasem has been kept at Kashimpur jail. He was given a division cell at first, but after the ICT sentenced him to death in November 2014, the Jamaat leader was transferred to the condemned cell.