Final verdict read out to Mir Quasem

The review verdict was read out to Mir Quasem on Wednesday morning. Jail Super of Kashimpur Central Jail 2 Prashant Kumar Banik said: “The verdict has been read out to him. He has sought some time to decide whether he would seek presidential clemency. “We will inform the higher authorities about the matter.” On Tuesday, a five-member Appellate Division panel in its short judgement dismissed the review plea of 64-year-old death row convict, leaving him with one option to plead for presidential clemency as his last ditch effort to save his neck. The full text of its Supreme Court’s verdict reconfirming the death penalty of the Al-Badr commander was released on the same day. A top Jamaat-e-Islami leader and financier, Quasem filed the review petition after the apex court published its full verdict and the International Crimes Tribunal issued the death warrant against him on June 6. The war crimes tribunal sentenced Quasem to death on November 3, 2014 on two charges including killing seven people after abduction in Chittagong. He was also awarded a total of 72-year imprisonment on eight other proven charges of abduction, conspiracy and planning. A key player behind the formation of notorious al-Badr force in Chittagong during the Liberation War, Quasem had set up makeshift torture camps at different places in the port city including Daleem Hotel in Andorkilla area. He was known as “Bangali Khan” (Khan referred to as Pakistani occupation forces) for his atrocities. According to the government, Quasem has also spent a large amount of money to appoint US-based lobbyists to make the war crimes trials controversial.