The full bench of Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday completed the hearing on whether convicted war criminal Quader Mollah was to be allowed filing review petition.
On completion of the hearing by the five-member full bench of Appellate Division led by Chief Justice M Mojammel Hossen, the court said it would deliver the judgment after disscussing the issue in the day.
The five-member full bench of Appellate Division resumed the hearing around 9:18am.
The other judges of the bench was Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Abdul Oyahhab Miah, Justice Hasan Foyej Siddiqi and Justice AHM shamsuddin Choudhwry.
Earlier in the day, Molla's counsel Abdur Razzak placed the argument on merit of the petition as per the court's directive. At the beginning of the hearing, Razzaq argued whether the review was 'maintainable'. In reply, the court said it has yet to take any decision on the maintainability of the petition.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Appellate Division had clearly stated that the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla could not take place until disposal of the Jamaat leader’s plea filed seeking review of the death sentence.
It said no further order was required to halt the execution as the matter was pending at the apex court.
The top court on Wednesday heard both sides over the maintainability of the petition filed in the morning as there is no provision of review in the International Crimes (tribunals) Act, 1973.
At the end of proceedings, the five-member Appellate Division bench that passed the verdict on September 17 adjourned the hearing until Thursday. Usually, the apex court starts its sessions at 9-9:30am and lasts until 1pm.
Later, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters that Quader Molla would not be hanged until the plea was disposed of, “since the government has respect towards law and judiciary.”
For the first time in the country’s history, execution of a death row convict was halted by the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, in absence of the government lawyers, hours before the Jamaat leader was set to be hanged on Tuesday.