The government is yet to decide on carrying out Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla’s death sentence given by the Supreme Court, the law minister has said.
Published : 31 Oct 2013, 11:22 PM
Shafique Ahmed said this while replying to a question whether the verdict would be executed as per a government decision or the Jail Code.
“Law will take its own course. It won’t be fair to talk about it from a position in the executive branch,” he said in reply to another question.
The minister was talking to reporters after attending the closing ceremony of two training workshops on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the capital.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sept 17 converted Molla’s life sentence, given by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), to death sentence for murders and other crimes committed during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.
Regarding whether the verdict would be executed within this government’s term, Ahmed said: “Trial is held in the court. It doesn’t happen fixing time.”
He said the ICT had given the accused equal protection of law. The trials are being held under international standards, he added.
“There is no scope for any controversy over the tribunal trial. Statements claiming the trials are politically motivated are confusing. Those who are really accused of crimes are being tried.”
It had to be ascertained how the verdict could be executed if the Jail Code was not applicable to a tribunal judgment, the minister told bdnews24.com when the reporter contacted him later.
But, he said, the government had not yet studied it. “We will talk about the matter after examining it.”
Following the final judgment of the Appellate Division, the prosecution and investigation agency had said that it would be executed as per the Jail Code. The Attorney General was of the same opinion.
But Additional Attorney General and prosecution team coordinator MK Rahman later said the Jail Code would not be applicable as the tribunal law had authorised the government to decide the execution.
“The government can execute the verdict anytime after receiving its copy,” he added.
The Attorney General later changed his view to support Rahman’s contention.
The ICT-2 awarded Molla, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General, life term on Feb 5. Following the judgment, Molla’s victory sign to supporters outside the court invited countrywide protests and call for giving him capital punishment.
Both the prosecution and the defence appealed against the verdict within one month of the judgment.
The Appellate Division took four and a half months to dispose of the case, though the amended law stipulates that it has to be settled in two months.