Scenes of joy in Dhaka after Mollah verdict

Hundreds of youths gathered in Dhaka's Shahbagh area to celebrate after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh Thursday dismissed the review petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami leader and war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, clearing the way for his execution.

The order means that the Jammat's assistant secretary general can now be executed anytime.

Hailing the ruling, a number of student organisations took out processions, chanting victory slogans, the Daily Star reported.

"Joy holo bhai joy holo, Shahbagher joy holo" (It's a victory of Shabagh), "Joy holo bhai joy holo, muktijuddher joy holo" (It's victory of the Liberation War), people shouted.

A five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md. Muzammel Hossain dismissed Mollah's petition.

Mollah has been kept in the Dhaka Central Jail.

The petition was submitted just a few hours ahead of Mollah's scheduled execution Tuesday night.

Mollah was to be executed a minute before midnight Tuesday but a last-minute attempt by his lawyers saw the Supreme Court Chamber Judge stay the execution until 10.30 a.m. Wednesday, which was halted until further notice till Thursday.

On Feb 5, Mollah was sentenced to life in prison by the International Crimes Tribunal-2, a special tribunal set up to try those allegedly involved in war crimes during the south Asian country's nine-month war of liberation in 1971.

The state March 3 appealed to the apex court against Mollah's sentencing, claiming that the punishment was inadequate, and sought the death penalty.

On Sep 17, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division revised the verdict, sentencing Mollah to death.