Jamaat-e-Islami war criminal Mir Quasem’s hanging in Kashimpur or Keraniganj prison?

All the hanged war criminals, beginning with Abdul Quader Molla in 2013, were brought to the gallows of Dhaka Central Jail from Kashimpur prison in Gazipur.

This bdnews24.com File Photo of June 17, 2012 shows Mir Quasem Ali during his arrest

The 200-year old Dhaka Central Jail was recently relocated to new premises in Keraniganj on the outskirts of the capital.

Now the hanging of another war criminal Mir Quasem Ali is imminent.

“There is no bar to starting the process of his execution now," Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said after the Appellate Division rejected the petition to review Mir Quasem's sentence on Tuesday.

So where will the top Jamaat-e-Islami financier and former Al-Badr commander of 1971 be hanged, Keraniganj or in Kashimpur?

bdnews24.com has been informed that the government is yet to decide. Officials of both the prisons say they are ready to execute.

Whether its Keraniganj or Kashimpur, Mir Quasem will be the first war criminal to hang in either of the prisons.

Kashimpur prison

The 63-year old is in Kashimpur prison now.

Infamous as 'Bangali Khan' for his wartime atrocities in Chittagong, Mir Quasem has one final option left - seek presidential mercy.

The president can spare the life of any death-row convict as per the Bangladesh's Constitution, but he did not use the special powers in two war crimes cases where such petitions were made. The other three did not apply for his pardon.

After hearing the full review verdict published by the Supreme Court, Mir Quasem will have to decide whether to seek presidential clemency by repenting for his atrocities.

Kashimpur prison

Kashimpur prison officials said they were preparing the gallows.

After the copy of the full review verdict reached the prison in the early hours of Wednesday, Jailer Nasir Uddin told bdnews24.com, "We have the preparations needed for the execution of death sentence. But we will finalise when we are given the order."

Dhaka Central Jail’s Senior Superintendent Jahangir Kabir supervised the executions of five war criminals when the jail was in Old Dhaka.

He said the prison officials in Keraniganj were waiting for the official  decision.

A top view of the new Dhaka Central Jail. File Photo

The gallows in Keraniganj. File Photo

He added that the five convicted war criminals had been taken to the prison at Nazimuddin Road quite sometime before their executions.

bdnews24.com contacted several home ministry officials but  they could not say where Mir Quasem's death sentence will be carried out.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal's aide took the call made to the minister and said he was busy at a meeting.

Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla was the first to be hanged for war crimes on Dec 12, 2013.

Another assistant secretary general of the party, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, was executed on Apr 11, 2015.

The jail authorities executed the death sentences of Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and BNP Standing Committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury on Nov 21 last year.

Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami was the last to hang on May 11 this year.​