A file photo of protesters in Bangladesh. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, 65, was found guilty of five charges, including abduction and murder, and was sentenced to death by the much-criticised International Crimes Tribunal.
"In three out of five charges he was given the death sentence," the country's junior attorney general and prosecutor MK Rahman said.
Justice Obaidul Hassan ordered Mujahid be "hanged by the neck" after the panel of three judges read out the verdict to the packed courtroom in the capital Dhaka, amid tight security.
Mujahid is currently the second highest-ranked member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party and also an influential leader in the 18-party opposition alliance.
The verdict is the second this week by the tribunal after Jamaat's 90-year-old spiritual leader Ghulam Azam was convicted on Monday and sentenced to 90 years in prison for masterminding atrocities during the war.
That verdict prompted a nationwide strike by Jamaat supporters who took to the streets, sparking violent clashes with police that killed five people.
The trials have divided the country, with secularists demanding the execution of all the accused and conservatists branding the trials a sham, aimed at eliminating their leaders.
COMMENTS (30)
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@Abdullah: Patriotic? Patriotism is to love your country and support it not mass murder and rape a part of it like these guys did in 1971. I'm a Pakistani and I'm glad that they are getting punished. Justice is being delivered. We did something wrong. Accept it and stop defending these guys.
It is mockery to justice. These leaders will be freed soon after the election as Awami League gonna loose the elections as forecast. These courts have no jurisdiction no authority not endorsed by UN, Human rights watch , or amnesty international.
@Abdullah:
Are you friends with Taliban ? You do seem short on history lesson. You need to go back to school and learn little more about true Islam and factual history. I feel sorry for your children.
Well Done Bangladesh Because of these guys Bhuttos and Mujeeb Ur Rehman Government which was initially planned to go till the Judgement day Finish Early.
A mockery of justice...nothing else!! It's surprising how some PAKISTANIS on this thread are celebrating these death sentences when infact these individuals are being punished only for their great partriotism and their unrelenting commitment to the true concept of Pakistan. A commitment that was not effected by Bengali nationalist propaganda and patriotism that was driven only by a sense of true Muslim brotherhood.
@Water Bottle:
"You claim yourself to be a scrupulous and honest person according to your posts."
"LIES."
Oh! I thought you really meant what you said. My mistake, I took you literally.
“Genocide of Buddhist and Jains by the fanatic Hindus was in fact the most horrendous crime against humanity ever committed by any nation in the history of mankind which reduced their population from 40% and 15% respectively to almost nil.”
"IGNORANCE and LIES."
Not my fault. Statistics India says the current population of Buddhists is only 0.8%, and Jains 0.4%. Perhaps it is some printing mistake, and the real figures are 80% and 40% respectively. Or, may be you can provide the correct figures.
@Lala Gee:
"You claim yourself to be a scrupulous and honest person according to your posts. What do you say about the culprits belonging to Indian security forces who committed genocide of tens of thousands of Sikhs during their movement for liberation from Indian oppression."
LIES.
"Genocide of Buddhist and Jains by the fanatic Hindus was in fact the most horrendous crime against humanity ever committed by any nation in the history of mankind which reduced their population from 40% and 15% respectively to almost nil."
IGNORANCE and LIES.
You want an honest response from me, you learn to ask honest questions.
@Naveen:
"As for relevance of Geneva convention here, better go and read the instrument of surrender for yourself."
Your incoherent writing is full of flaws.
And you do not even take time to read other posts patiently.
Read what I wrote again regarding the trial of war criminals and tell me how is that in anyway related to either Geneva convention or the instrument of surrender.
@Water Bottle:
"Indira Gandhi did the gravest mistake of giving safe passage to the POWs of 1971."
You claim yourself to be a scrupulous and honest person according to your posts. What do you say about the culprits belonging to Indian security forces who committed genocide of tens of thousands of Sikhs during their movement for liberation from Indian oppression. What punishment should be accorded to the invading Indian army who killed thousands of Sikh freedom fighters along with civilians taking refuge in the Golden Temple? I am deliberately not mentioning Kashmiri Muslims as you don't consider them human beings, but only the descendents of foreigners who are occupying Hindu land.
"The atrocities they unleashed upon Bangladeshis is second to none in the history of mankind."
Genocide of Buddhist and Jains by the fanatic Hindus was in fact the most horrendous crime against humanity ever committed by any nation in the history of mankind which reduced their population from 40% and 15% respectively to almost nil. I know it happened a little while ago, which perhaps made you believe that people will forget who committed the most cruel crimes against humanity ever. Well the bad news is, it is not going to happen.
Read "December 6, Ayodhya for dummies", by Vir Sanghvi, published in Hindustan Times on December 06, 2009.
"But let’s keep in mind that those were different times. There was an era when Hinduism had been eclipsed in much of India by Buddhism. When Hinduism made a comeback some centuries later, Hindu kings destroyed Buddhist monasteries, more or less throwing Buddhism out of India."
@Water Bottle: The pact was with Pakistani State and not with Mr. Bhutto (he's dead anyway). If the pact would have been a joke, then we wouldn't have got any International support for 1999 LoC violation.
As for relevance of Geneva convention here, better go and read the instrument of surrender for yourself.
@Nani Jehan (Bengali):
Well said. I believe Pakistan should take a leaf -- and history lessons -- from Bangladesh. The rot in Pakistan is continuing; only difference is that they don't have enough Bengalis now, but are preying like vultures on other dwindling minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Ahmedis and others. The nation is sinking rapidly into an economic abyss; it has little or no revenue (because the rich consider it their birthright not to pay taxes), corruption has been institutionalized and evolved into a parallel economy; every Paki carries a weapon or has access to it. Their mindsets are worse than those of the Bedouins and stone-age Neanderthals. But their grossly inflated egos (much of it is empty air) can easily get stirred if someone tells them they are in the wrong. How can a country, whose national philosophy is characterized by lies and deception, ever succeed in producing a nation-building populace?
No wonder we did not like Bengalis. They are more secular and democratic vs. Pakistani. Kudos to the elected govt of BD.
i think pakistan should take bangladesh as their mentor nd take their this as an example of learning
@csmann:
"Look at these young protesters brain-washed by religious bigots. They were probably not even born then."
It just says the photo of protesters. It doesn't say which protesters and protesting what.
There were strong protests to punish the culprits and not let them off freely.
@Water Bottle: Pakistanis will not seek accountability from their former generals, politicians, mullahs and others who collaborated in the Bangladesh genocide because this will open up a can of worms for many who are still alive and are holding positions of power. Thus, a sordid chapter in Pakistan's history is being brushed under the carpet. The country was founded on the basis of lies and fiction; thus, it is nothing new for them to lie further. Future generations are, however, going to raise questions (assuming the "land of the pure" survives in its present form) as to why the eastern wing was "lost". And, yet, the hypocrisy is easily visible when you hear Pakis talking about the "human rights" of Muslims in other countries. That's the nature of the beast: denial and deceit!
I think Sheik Hasina wajid is ruining her country. Results will soon appear.
@Naveen:
What has that got to do with Geneva Convention?
Geneva convention doesn't say that you let off the war criminals without trial.
You should read about Geneva Convention.
Indira Gandhi should have handed over the prisoners to Bangladesh. What Bangladesh does is like you so aptly said not for us to be "poking our nose[sic]".
Shimla accord was a joke. There was nothing binding in Shimla accord. Even a reasonably learned person would have done better than Indira Gandhi.
Only Indira Gandhi believed Bhutto's word (without bound in the agreement) that Kashmir would be solved bilaterally. Even today Pakistan harps on UN resolution. For Pakistanis Shimla agreement is of as much value as the beauty of Himalayas to a blind person.
Look at these young protesters brain-washed by religious bigots. They were probably not even born then.So they don't know of the pain that their country suffered from their brothers to the west,with corroboration from these mullahs.History narrative has been, perhaps ,left to the whim of these so-called professors in religious garb ,as it has been in Pakistan.
Love you Bangladesh. But Mujahid is no Bangladesh leader at all. He is a jamaati leader, hardly recognized by the secular people of Bangladesh.
@Water Bottle: It was a legal surrender of a section of Pakistani military to Indian state. Being a signatory of Geneva conventions, we had an obligation to ensure the safety of the surrendered soldiers which was highly improbable given the emotionally charged up atmosphere in East Bengal. Also later, Miss Gandhi (cunning as she was) used the 90,000 PoWs as a bargaining chip for securing Shimla pact with Pakistan (converting then Ceasefire Line into LoC in J&K- the very line of whose violation led to Kargil War).
As for the present trials, these are against Bangladeshi citizens. So, let's avoid poking our nose in their internal affair lest we burn our hands as has happened in Nepal. I hope you do know that in recent months, Jamaat supporters have held big provocative rallies not just in Dhaka but also in Kolkata (contrast this with Shahbag supporters which are confined to Dhaka).
Pakistani generals should also be prosecuted for those who committed crime in 1971.May be the prosection can be done here instead of pakistan, otherwise they will escape..
This is a great news at last.The culprits have to be punished.
Salute to the judiciary of Bangladesh. Hopefully our judicary could learn from them
Loving you Bangladesh.
This is such a wonderful news.
Indira Gandhi did the gravest mistake of giving safe passage to the POWs of 1971.
The atrocities they unleashed upon Bangladeshis is second to none in the history of mankind.
Pakistan should pro-actively seek to root out the demons of 1971 and punish the culprits before its too late.
Bangladesh should go forward with the verdict as it is the defining moment towards their future. Do not get afraid from the clergy. Pakistan has done the same mistake back in 50's and the nation is getting the fruit of what it so sow back then.
well done bangladesh
well done bangladesh
well done bangladesh
I am guessing, there will be one too. We have a flair for strike.