Bangladesh executions over war crimes

Bangladesh executed two opposition leaders on Sunday for war crimes dedicated in the course of the 1971 war to interrupt away from Pakistan, a senior police official stated, in a transfer doubtless to attract an indignant response from supporters.

Ahead of the execution, Dhaka’s civil surgeon along with two jail doctors checked their health in line with rules while a cleric administered a special prayer.

Copies of the verdicts were published and sent to the jail on Thursday.

Trials by the tribunal have been criticized by many global human and legal rights groups that say the proceedings do not meet worldwide standards.

About two hours after executions, ambulances carrying bodies of Mujahid and Chowdhury left the jail for their ancestral homes escorted by huge law enforcers.

Instead, Hasina has blamed the attacks on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its main ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, accusing the opposition parties of trying to destabilize the country and halt the war crimes trials.

Two other 1971 war crime convicts Abdul Quader Mollah and Mohammad Kamaruzzaman had been executed so far.

“Pakistan is deeply disturbed at this development”, the foreign office stated. “And he certainly didn’t admit guilt”.

“I’ve waited for this day for a long 44 years”, said Shawan Mahmud, daughter of top musician Altaf Mahmud, who was killed by militia that Mujahid was convicted of leading during the war. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denied the allegations. They had opposed the creation of an independent Bangladesh in 1971.

From 2001-’06, Salahuddin Chowdhury was the adviser of parliamentary affairs in the Bangladesh Nationalist Part government and is a seven-time member of parliament.

The prosecution said that his father’s residence in Chittagong was turned into a torture cell during the war.

On Wednesday, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentences against Chowdhury and Mujahid, who were convicted in 2013 on charges including genocide, rape and torture during the war.

Throughout the trial, which lasted for three years, Chowdhury insisted he was innocent.

A late-night fire Friday at a coal mine killed 21 people and left one missing in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang, local authorities and state media said Saturday.

Executed Mojaheed is the secretary general of Jamaat e Islami and was the commander of the Al Badr killing squad, an auxiliary force of the Pakistan army, which had annihilated scores of Bengali intellectuals in 1971.