Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami sentenced to death for war crimes

According to reports, Motiur Rahman Nizami, 71, was reportedly found guilty of murder, rape and looting during the nine-month long freedom war with Pakistan.

It has been learnt that the court in Dhaka sentenced Nizami to “hang by the neck until his death” for orchestrating the killings of several Bengali nationalists, including several professors, writers and doctors, during the conflict.

“Considering the gravity of the crimes, the tribunal punished him with the death sentence,” media quoted state prosecutor Mohammad Ali as saying.

According to media reports, Nizami was the commander of the Al-Badr militia, which helped the Pakistani army identify and kill pro-independence activists in Bangladesh during the war.

He was reportedly facing charges of personally carrying out the killing and ordering the deaths of nearly 600 Bangladeshis. He has been convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Following the verdict, Jamaat supporters went on rampage at different parts of the country.

Reports emerged that angry members of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing 'Shibir' have vandalised at least 20 vehicles in the city on Wednesday afternoon.

They also engaged in a chase and counter chase with Chhatra League activists in the city’s court point area as the ruling party members tried to resist them.

Security has been beefed up in Dhaka and other major cities across the country.

Previous judgments by the tribunal had also sparked off violent clashes between the police and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters.