Molla plea 3rd on cause list

The 'maintainability' of war crimes convict Abdul Qauder Molla's plea for a review of his death sentence is third on Thursday's business agenda of the Appellate Division bench led by the Chief Justice.

The bench on Wednesday held a hearing on the Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General's review petition. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday.

According to the Supreme Court's website, a plea to extend the timeframe for filing the summary verdict of Jamaat's former chief Ghulam Azam tops the bench's cause list for Thursday.

A case involving the government and one Capt (retd) Md Abul Kashem is at the second position.

Thursday is the last working day of the Appellate Division before the winter vacation.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam has said the verdict's execution may be delayed until the next year if it was not resolved by Thursday.

Quader Molla was sentenced to life on Feb 5 for his Liberation-time atrocities by the war crimes tribunal.

Later, a bench, headed by the Chief Justice, raised the punishment to maximum penalty on Sept 17.

The government on Tuesday made preparations to carry out the death sentence after the apex court had published the full verdict after nearly two and a half months.

File Photo

However, events took a dramatic turn with the Chamber Judge, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, halting the verdict's execution until 10:30am on Wednesday at the plea by the defence.

On Wednesday, the Chief Justice-led five-strong bench started hearing on halting the execution.

Hearing on the acceptability of the review plea had started at 11:30am. All the members of the bench, who had sentenced Molla to death, took part in the hearing.