Pabna people hail upholding of Nizami's death penalty

The Supreme Court's final verdict that upheld the death penalty for Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War has brought a sort of solace to the families of the martyrs and freedom fighters in the war criminal's home district.

"We have waited long 45 years for the justice. Now we feel happy over upholding of the death penalty for top war criminal Nizami," said Johurul Haque, a freedom fighter of Santhia upazila in Pabna, also a witness to Nizami's crimes against humanity.

"Santhia saw martyrdom of thousands of people in the hands of Pakistan occupation army and their local collaborators. And so, we do not want Nizami's burial here," he added.

Nizami, hailing from Monmothpur village of Santhia upazila, instigated the Al-Badar and Razakars, auxiliary forces of the Pakistan occupation army, to commit crimes against humanity during 1971 Liberation War.

International Crimes Tribunal-1 on October 29 in 2014 handed him the death penalty on four charges of war crimes, including involvement in killings of intellectuals, murder of 450 civilians and rape at Bausgari and Demra, killings of 52 people at Dhulaura, killings of 10 people and rape of three women at Karamja in Pabna.

He was awarded life imprisonment on four other charges.

On January 6 this year, the apex court upheld Nizami's death sentence in three of the charges. His death warrant was issued on March 15 after the Supreme Court's full verdict was released. Later Nizami filed a review plea to the Supreme Court that finally rejected it yesterday.

"As the Supreme Court upheld death penalty for Nizami, the people are waiting for its execution. I urge the government not to bury Nizami in the soil of Santhia," said freedom fighter Morshad Ali of Gourigram village.

Abdur Rouf Montu, son of Abul Kashem Fakir of Dhulauri village in Santhia upazila, who was killed by Razakars accompanying the Pakistan army at the village on the night on November 27, 1971, expressed happiness over the justice.

"We have waited long 45 years for the punishment of the mastermind of Dhulauri massacre. Now we expect quick execution of the verdict," Montu said.

Like him, Liakot Ali, Sohrab Hossain and many others who lost their family members in massacres during the Liberation War, expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

Hailing the dismissal of Nizami's review plea, Awami League brought out processions and distributed sweetmeats in Santhia upazila and Pabna town yesterday.