CM Kajawl :Despite taking all preparations, the prison authority stopped the execution of condemned Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman at the eleventh hour on Friday night. The authority completed all arrangements to hang the former Al Badr leader on Friday night at 12:01pm, reliable sources said. Top officials, including the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Civil Surgeon, also went to the Dhaka Central Jail. Security was beefed up around the Dhaka Central Jail and vehicular movement near the jail was also kept restricted. The stage was ready, medical tests were done and an Imam was present to complete the religious rites, but the execution was stopped.According to sources, the execution did not take place due to two reasons. The Home Ministry could not complete the file relating to the execution as the concerned officials were not available as Friday was a public holiday. The other reason was Kamaruzzaman wanted to see his family members as his last wish, but the authority did not have adequate time to complete those formalities before midnight.Senior Superintendent of Dhaka Central Jail Farman Ali said they had completed all arrangements, but they were not the authority to fix the time of execution. “We are all prepared. We can execute anytime after getting the order,” he said. Kamaruzzaman, the Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, might be executed on Saturday, the sources said. He was sentenced to death for his involvement in the crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. International Crimes Tribunal-2 handed down death penalty to Kamaruzzaman on May 9, 2013. Later, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the tribunal’s verdict in the appeal. The apex court also rejected the review petition of Kamaruzzaman on April 6, seeking a reconsideration of his death sentences. With the dismissal of his review petition, Kamaruzzaman was left with no other option but to move a mercy petition for presidential clemency to save his life However, despite taking nearly two days time, Kamaruzzaman finally decided not to move any prayer for presidential mercy. Earlier, Magistrate Mahbub Jamil and Magistrate Tanvir Azim met Kamaruzzaman to know his opinion to file a mercy petition for presidential clemency. They reached the Dhaka Central Jail at 9:50am and came out of the prison at around 11:40am. Though they did not say anything about Kamaruzzaman, a source said they discussed the matter of presidential mercy with the death row convict. But Kamaruzzaman, a former Al Badr leader, said them that he need further time to think about the matter. Kamaruzzaman earlier on April 8 also requested the prison authority to allow him one-day time to take to discuss the matter with his lawyers after hearing the Supreme Court’s verdict that rejected his appeal against his death penalty.Acceding to his request, the prison authority allowed him to meet his counsels in the prison on Thursday morning, but the Jamaat leader could not reach a decision whether he would file the mercy petition.
