Inspector General of Prisons Syed Iftekhar Uddin said that Jamaat leader Mir Qasem Ali, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, will not seek pardon from the President.
Mir Kasem is now incarcerated in Kasimpur Jail in Gazipur. A senior officer of that jail said, "We have been informed that Mir Kasem Ali Parsi will not petition."
If the execution of the Jamaat leader is being executed today, the official said, 'We have all preparations for the execution. We will take further action when we receive instructions from higher authorities.'
Security has been beefed up around Kashimpur Jail after Mir Kasem announced this decision. The security post has been increased in front of the jail. The number of members of the police has been increased. The movement of outsiders has been restricted in front of the prison gate.
The verdict was officially communicated to Mir Qasem a day after the Jamaat leader's death sentence review petition was rejected last Tuesday. He then deferred the decision on the pardon petition to the President for two days. According to the law, if the Supreme Court sentences someone to death, he can plead guilty to the President and apologize. The President can commute the death sentence to any other sentence or release him.
As Mir Qasem decided not to seek a life sentence, there was no further legal process left to carry out his sentence. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said that the state party can execute the death sentence any day now.
According to the law, the accused who has been sentenced to death has the opportunity to seek pardon from the President, but the law does not specify how many days he can apply for this. Law Minister Anisul Haque said last Wednesday that the accused can be given reasonable time. And this time should not exceed seven days.
Jail authorities wanted to know about the decision to apologize to Kashimpur Jail inmate Mir Qasem on Wednesday after the review petition was rejected. That day he said to take more time. However, Mir Kasem's relatives met him in the jail that afternoon and said that he will not make a decision on the matter until his missing son returns.
Mir Kasem's wife complained that her son Ahmad bin Kasem was captured by law enforcement forces on August 10. However, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that they did not catch him. He also thinks that Kasemputra may have escaped.
Last Thursday, the jail authorities asked Mir Qasem again to decide on the death penalty. Then he said to take time again.
