The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued a death warrant for former Jatiya Party leader Syed Mohammad Qaisar, who was sentenced to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity during 1971 Liberation War. 

Sayeed Ahmed, registrar of International Crimes Tribunal, confirmed the matter to Banglanews today.

He said: "Yesterday we received the full text of the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the death penalty of Qaisar. Copies of the death warrant were sent to Dhaka Central Jail, home ministry secretary, law ministry secretary and Dhaka district magistrate today." 

Earlier on January 14 this year, a four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, upheld the death sentence of Syed Mohammad Qaisar.

The apex court delivered the verdict by allowing an appeal in part filed by Qaisar challenging the International Crimes Tribunal’s two verdicts that sentenced him to death. 

On December 23 in 2014, the ICT-2 awarded death penalty to Qaisar on 16 charges including committing crimes against humanity, raping and launching genocide in Habiganj area during the country’s Liberation War by forming an anti-liberation group named “Qaisar Group”.

On Wednesday (October 21, 2020), the Supreme Court released the full text of its January 14 verdict.

BDST: 1408 HRS, OCT 22, 2020
AP