Death row war crimes convict Mir Quasem Ali has told the jail authorities that he would not beg the president to spare his life.
This means, the Jamaat-e-Islami leader, whose atrocities during the Liberation War in Chittagong earned him the nickname 'Bangali Khan', can be executed any time now.
Kashimpur Central Jail-2 Superintendent Prashanta Kumar Banik told the Dhaka Tribune that Quasem had informed them of his decision on Friday afternoon.
“We asked him about his decision [to seek presidential clemency] and he said he won't,” Prashanta said.
Asked if they were prepared to carry out the death sentence, the jail superintendent said they would “follow orders from the higher ups”.
Quasem had spent a huge sum of money to appoint a US lobbyist to make the war crimes trials controversial.
* Gallows upheld for Mir Quasem* All his efforts go in vain
His efforts were in vain when the Appellate Division threw out his plea to review his death sentence on Tuesday. Jail officials said the verdict was read to him the following day when he appeared “worried”.
Suspected war criminals were put on trial after the Awami League-led government set up the International Crimes Tribunal in 2010.
Most of the convicts are from Jamaat, which openly opposed Bangladesh's independence.
The party claims the tribunal falls short of international standard and accuses the government of carrying out a political vendetta – a charge the government denies.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
