Moulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh. PHOTO: REUTERS
DHAKA: Bangladesh hanged religious party leader Motiur Rahman Nizami on Wednesday for war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence to break away from Pakistan, the law minister said, in a move that could draw an angry reaction from his supporters.
Nizami, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was hanged at Dhaka Central jail after the Supreme Court rejected his final plea against a death sentence imposed by a special tribunal for genocide, rape and orchestrating the massacre of top intellectuals during the war.
Pakistan concerned at JI chief’s death sentence
Nizami, 73, a former legislator and minister, was hanged at 12.01am local time, Law Minister Anisul Haq told Reuters.
Thousands of extra police and border guards were deployed in Dhaka and other major cities to tighten security.
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