Breaking news: Saka Chowdhury and Mujahid executed

The Dhaka Times Desk BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid have been executed for crimes against humanity. At 12.55 pm, the verdict of two people was executed simultaneously.

Executioner Shahjahan executed Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and executioner Raju executed Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.

Extensive security measures have been taken in Dhaka Central Jail for the past few days. From this evening, all the roads around the prison were closed and checkposts were installed. No one was allowed to enter the area except the residents and journalists.

It is reported that Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's body will be handed over to his family and will be taken to Raujan in Chittagong under police guard for burial. On the other hand, the body of Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid will be taken to his village in Khabaspur of Faridpur under special police guard after handing over to his family. It is said that the police will provide security until the burial.

The trial of two war criminals

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid

Mujahid was sentenced to death by the International Criminal Tribunal on July 17, 2013 for the murder of journalists, teachers and intellectuals during the 1971 War of Liberation and communal murder and torture.

Out of the 7 charges brought by the prosecution, journalist Sirajuddin Hossain was ordered to be hanged in the first charge of murder after kidnapping and in the sixth charge of conspiracy and fueling the genocide of intellectuals.

The same verdict came in the 7th charge, in the case of brutal attack on Hindu community in Bakchar village of Faridpur.

In the final verdict on June 16 this year, the Appellate Division partially granted Mujahid's appeal and acquitted the accused in the first charge. His sentence was reduced to life imprisonment on the 7th charge.

The Supreme Court upheld the verdict of the tribunal on the charge of murdering intellectuals in the 6th charge and ordered the execution of Mujahid.

At the review hearing, Mujahid's lawyer spoke only about the death sentence. He presented various arguments in his favor claiming that it was not done legally.

Salauddin Quader Chowdhury

Saka Chowdhury's verdict in the war crimes tribunal came on 1 October 2013. He was found guilty on 9 of the 23 charges brought by the prosecution there.

Out of these, he was sentenced to death on 4 charges and imprisonment for various terms on 5 charges.

On July 29 this year, the Supreme Court partially allowed his appeal and upheld the conviction in 8 cases, acquitting Saka Chowdhury in 1 case.

His maximum sentence was upheld in charges No. 3, 5, 6 and 8 of the murder of Nutan Chandra Singh, the owner of Kundeshwari Pharmacy in Raujan, Chittagong, the massacre of Hindu settlements in Sultanpur and Unsatarpara and the kidnapping and murder of an Awami League leader and his son in Hathajari.

On the other hand, the sentence of 20 years imprisonment given by the Tribunal on charges No. 2 and 4 is upheld, but the Appellate Division acquitted him by allowing the appeal against the sentence of 20 years on charge No. 7.

The sentence of 5 years of imprisonment given by the tribunal in charge number 17 and 18 was upheld in the final verdict.

Saka Chowdhury claimed that on March 29, 1971, he left Dhaka for Karachi and returned in 1974. In legal terms it is called 'Plea of Alibi'. That is, the absence of the accused at the time and place of the criminal organization.

His lawyer made the same claim during the hearing of the review petition. For this, they presented a certificate from Punjab University in 2012 in the court. But the court did not accept it due to inconsistencies.