Dhaka : Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Motiur Rahman Nizami, dismissing his review plea against the gallows for war crimes, paving the way for his execution.
Nizami, the head of Bangladesh’s biggest religious party Jamaat-e-Islami, was convicted of murder, rape and orchestrating the killing of intellectuals during the country’s 1971 independence struggle.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed this order.
The agenda of Nizami’s review was atop the cause list of the top court’s bench.
The jail authorities will start preparation for execution after receiving today’s order.
The apex court had earlier on January 6 this year upheld Nizami’s death in three of the charges.
His death warrant was issued on March 15 after the Supreme Court’s verdict was released.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam expressed satisfaction over the apex court’s decision and said the nation has been served justice.
Nizami was convicted in October 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal, which was established in 2010 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
The International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced more than a dozen opposition leaders for war crimes.
Rights groups said the trials fall short of global standards and lack international oversight.(ANI)