A member of the notorious Al-Badr militia during the 1971 war, Molla was given the moniker of ‘butcher of Mirpur’ for committing large-scale massacres of pro-independence activists in Dhaka’s Mirpur.
He was even heard saying at one point during his trial, “Some people have become full of themselves just because Bangladesh was born.”
This is the first execution of a war criminal in Bangladesh 42 years after the genocide.
Quader Molla’s verdict was carried out late Thursday at Dhaka Central Jail three years and five months after his arrest.
People in the capital and across the country and many others on social media joyously celebrated the news of the first execution of a war criminal.
His party Jamaat-e-Islami has called the execution a “political murder” and taken a vow to exact revenge for “every drop” of his blood.
The 65-year-old Jamaat Assistant Secretary General was arrested on July 13, 2010 in a case filed with Pallabi police in 2008 for his role in committing war-time atrocities.
The infamous killer from 1971 survived the gallows literally at the last minute on Tuesday due to an order from a chamber judge even after the full legal process was exhausted.
The apex court rejected petitions to review its verdict soon after Thursday noon after two days of hearing. Molla hanged by the noose before the end of the day.
Prosecution brought charges of murder, rape and arson against the Jamaat leader based on probe findings submitted on Nov 1, 2011.
The war crimes tribunal took cognisance of the charges against Molla on Dec 28.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1, set up to try crimes against humanity during 1971, sentenced him to life in prison on Feb 5.
The prosecution then had no right to appeal. The verdict however stirred an immense uproar among youths and people from all walks of life who considered it too lenient.
The International Crimes Tribunals Act was amended to add provisions to allow both sides to appeal and an appeal empowered by the amended law led Molla’s verdict to be enhanced to death penalty on Sep 17.
The tribunal had given death penalty to former Jamaat member Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar before Molla. But the sentence is yet to be executed as Azad is absconding.
One of the collaborators, Chikon Ali, was awarded the death penalty after the Liberation War, but he was acquitted and released from jail during Gen Ziaur Rahman's regime.
A court was instituted after Bangladesh was liberated to try the collaborators of Pakistani army, but the initiative hit the wall after founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated on Aug 15, 1975.
Mass protests began after Jamaat declared Ghulam Azam as its chief on Dec 29, 1991. The protests later turned into a movement in demand for trials of all the war criminals.
On Jan 19, 1992, the 101-strong Ekattorer Ghatok Dlala Nirmul Committee was formed with Jahanara Imam as its Convenor.
Imam’s diary of the Liberation War days and her freedom fighter son Rumi’s death at the hands of Pakistan Army had caught the imagination of the nation.
This committee on Mar 26, 1992 started Ghulam Azam's symbolic trial in a 'People's Court' in Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan.
The Jamaat guru is currently serving 90 years in jail for his crimes against humanity during the war.
Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed had caused an uproar in 2007 when he said 'there are no war criminals in the country'.
"There were never any war criminals in Bangladesh and there aren't any now," Mujaheed had said on Oct 25, 2007, after a meeting with the Election Commission on Jamaat's behalf when an army-backed caretaker government was at the helm.
After that, the Sector Commanders’ Forum, a war veterans’ platform, emerged.
Ekattorer Ghatok Dlala Nirmul Committee joined their cause demanding trial of the war crimes. The issue was included in Awami League's pledges ahead of the 2008 general election.
The youth responded warmly to Awami League's pledge. The Grand Alliance it leads came to power with a landslide victory.
The government formed the International Crimes Tribunal on Mar 25, 2010 to begin war crimes trials.
The three-strong ICT was formed with Justice Nizamul Huq at the helm along with the prosecution and investigation agency.
A second war crimes tribunal was also set up about two years later to expedite the war crimes trials.
The two tribunals have given nine verdicts so far. Of them, seven carried the capital punishment. One of the verdicts gave out a 90-year jail sentence — to Ghulam Azam — and another verdict sentenced Abdul Alim to prison till death.
Of the convicts, three are on the run.
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