Bangladesh summons Pak envoy over Mir Quasem's execution reaction

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Government has summoned acting Pakistani High Commissioner Samina Mehtab this afternoon to lodge a formal protest against a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad over war criminal Mir Quasem Ali's execution.

Additional Foreign Secretary Kamrul Ahsan of the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summoned Mehtab to the Ministry, reported the Daily Star.

Pakistan yesterday said it is deeply saddened by the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem for the crimes committed before December 1971.

In a statement, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said the act of suppressing the opposition, through "flawed trials", is completely against the spirit of democracy.

The appeals of war crimes convicts Mahidur Rahman, Forkan Mallik, Serajul Haque alias Siraj Master, Khan Akram Hossain, Obaidul Haque Taher, Ataur Rahman Nani, Shamsuddin Ahmed, SM Yousuf Ali, Shamsul Haque, Muhibur Rahman Boro Mia, Mujibur Rahman Angur Mia and Abdur Razzak are pending with the Supreme Court.

Eight others - Shakhawat Hossain, Billal Hossain Biswas, Ibrahim Hossain, Mujibur Rahman, Kazi Ohidul Islam, Aziz Sardar, Aziz Sardar(2) and Abdul Khaleque Morol, are yet to file their appeals.

Afsar Hossain Chutu, who is now in jail did not file his appeal and 11 fugitive convicts Syed Hasan Ali, Gazi Abdul Mannan, Nasiruddin Ahmed, Hafiz Uddin, Azharul Islam, Ashraf Hossain, Abdul Mannan, Abdul Bari, Prof Sharif Ahammed, Harun, Abdul Hashem also didn`t file their appeals.

63-year old Quasemis is the sixth war criminal and fifth Jamaat leader to have been hanged for war crimes.