Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mujibur Rahman has issued the following statement on 11th December, 2017 urging to take the movement of building an Islamic society forward as per the dream and vision of former Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, renowned journalist and noted intellectual Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla.
“The incumbent authoritarian government has executed former Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, renowned journalist and noted intellectual Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla on 12th December, 2013 at 10.01 pm. His trial sparked huge controversies both in home and abroad. The trial process of Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla was not acceptable to anybody.
He was completely innocent. He has been executed in connection with some false allegations because of his leading position in Jamaat-e-Islami. One Momena Begum was one of the vital witnesses of the Mirpur charge, which has been brought against him. The genuine Momena Begum was not produced before the court. The government has produced another lady as Momena Begum to place her false testimony.
The defence lawyers of Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla have challenged the authenticity of Momena Begum. But paying no heed to such challenge, the tribunal sentenced him with life term imprisonment based on that false testimony. Following the tribunal’s life term imprisonment verdict, a youth platform namely ‘Gono Jagoron Moncho’ formed in capital’s Shahbagh and started pressing the government to amend the law. Later the government accepted their demand and amended the law to file a review in the Appellate Division against the tribunal’s verdict. The Appellate Division extended the life term imprisonment sentence of Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla to death penalty which is unprecedented in the history of judiciary. Usually the appeal court reduces the sentence or upholds the previous verdict. But something exceptional happened in the case of Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla. He has been made fully deprived from justice.
Abdul Quader Molla filed a review against the order of the Appellate Division. But rejecting the plea, he had been hurriedly executed even before the full verdict of the Appellate Division was published. The full verdict of the review order was published almost one and half year after his execution. These incidents proved that he did not receive justice at all.
Just before the execution, Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla stated that, “The government is executing me unjustifiably. Every single drop of my blood will inspire the leaders and activists of the Islamic movement.”
We are recalling the outstanding contribution of Shaheed Abdul Quader Molla for the Islamic movement with due respect and honour. I am praying to Almighty Allah for the acceptance of his martyrdom. Besides, I am urging my fellow citizens and all the leaders, activists, members, well wishers, supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami to take the movement forward, which he envisioned always to build an Islamic society.”
