Dhaka: Bangladesh’s fundamentalist Jamaat-e- Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, 71, on Wednesday, was sentenced to death by a special tribunal for his role in the killing of thousands of people during the nation’s independence war against Pakistan in 1971, triggering fears of violence.
“He shall be hanged by neck until he is dead,” pronounced Enayetur Rahim, the chairman of the three-member panel of judges of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal.
The verdict delivered amid tight security said that Nizami deserved no punishment other than the death penalty for the gravity of crimes.
It said in the unanimous verdict that eight of the 16 charges levelled against him were proved beyond doubt. It included leading the execution of intellectuals, mass killing, rape and loot during the nine months of bloodshed 43 years ago.
Witnesses said Nizami was present on the dock and looked indifferent as the judges read out the judgment delivering which took more than an hour.
