Speculation mounted high in the courtroom on Tuesday before the Appellate Division bench pronounced death sentence to Abdul Quader Molla on appeals filed against the “lenient” life-term imprisonment handed down on February 5.
Around 200 people present at the room, from both the sides, were whispering on the possible verdict. They were restless until Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, head of the five-member bench, read out the brief judgement.
The whole Supreme Court area was covered under tight security blanket with law enforcers from Rab and police.
Counsels of the state and the defence sides, the attorney general and the coordinator of the tribunal came to courtroom around 9am. Commoners including freedom fighters, academics and journalists also took seats while many did not get one.
Quader Molla, who had been known as the butcher of Mirpur during the war, was not brought to the court. He has been in Kashimpur jail since he was given the life sentence. His son Hasan Zamil was present at the courtroom.
As soon as the judges entered the jampacked courtroom at 9:32am, it turned silent like nobody even breathed. And when the chief justice read out the brief verdict for one and a half minutes, most of the people cheered in joy – but at low voice. Many were seen using their phones to inform others about the result. They started congratulating each other.
The International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced the Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary to life on February 5, prompting youths to converge at Shahbagh in the capital to protest against the life-term sentence and to raise demand for death penalty for all war criminals.
“Now I am happy and will be able to sleep well. We have get justice,” said Shahidul Huq, a prosecution witness in Quader Molla case, in his reaction. He had come to Bangladesh from abroad to testify in the case, and earlier had resented the tribunal verdict.
JU Vice- Chancellor Anwar Hossain said he wanted to see execution of the verdict at the soonest.
Prosecutor Tureen Afroz termed the judgement justice. “The victims of the Liberation War must bless us today.”
