Dear fellow journalists,
Assalamu Alaikum.
I am here on behalf of my family, the family of martyr Abdul Quader Molla. You have responded to our invitation to attend this press conference. I am expressing my deep gratitude on behalf of my family for your kind and sincere cooperation.
All of you are acknowledged of the fact that, the incumbent government has killed my father on 12th December of 2013 through a process of execution. My father Abdul Quader Molla did not attain due legal rights as he deserved. As you know, after the disclosure of the Appellate division’s verdict, the lawyers had gone to meet my father. My father asked them to take preparation for filing a review petition. Following the meet, the lawyers informed the journalists at the jail gate on 10th December, 2013 about the desire of my father for filing a review. The news was telecasted in all the media at that time.
As per the instruction of my father, his lawyers were taking preparation for filing a review petition. From the government side, it was said repeatedly that there is no scope to file a review petition. On the contrary, our lawyers claimed that as per the article 105 of the constitution, there is always scope for filing such review petition. The lawyers explained at that time, as the Appellate division increased the conviction of the trial court and instead of life time imprisonment; they had awarded Abdul Quader Molla with death penalty. So scope and provision of filing a review petition should be allowed. The countrymen were passing amid severe uncertainty and concern at that time.
On 10th December, 2013 evening, the jail authority asked the family to meet Abdul Quader Molla through a written letter. Besides, the then state minister for Law and State minister for Home Affairs in a joint press conference disclosed the government’s decision of executing Abdul Quader Molla on 12.01 am.
Listening to the news, the defence lawyers rushed to the residence of the then chamber judge Syed Mahmud Hossen and explained him the necessity and ground of filing a review on behalf of my father Abdul Quader Molla. The chamber judge halted the execution till the 10 am of the following date. On the following day, our lawyer filed a petition for review and for halting the execution. Hearing began at once and adjourned at noon as the court hour ended.
On the following day (12th December, 2013, the hearing of both sides continued and finally it was rejected. My father could not even know that on which ground his review petition was rejected. Immediately after rejecting the petition, the government announced to execute my father at 10.01 pm and subsequently he was executed.
Family of Abdul Quader Mollah at press conference held at Supreme Court Bar Association Auditorium 11/12/2014
It is a matter of great regret that, United Nations, European Union, United States, Australia, Turkey and various other countries and human rights organizations asked the government to halt the execution. But ignoring that call, the government murdered my father.
Now we did not lose my father only. We also lost a leader of the Islamic movement, a great academician and a journalist. 348 days after the execution of my father, the detailed judgment of my review petition has been published. In this judgment, the Supreme Court stated that review petition is maintainable and it is to be submitted within 15 days of the appellate division’s verdict. But Abdul Quader Molla had been executed within 7 days following the disclosure of the verdict. My father could not know before departing from the earth that whether he has the right to file a review or not. When an execution is committed depriving someone from his due legal rights, then it is nothing but a murder.
This government has brutally killed my father. Even they did not allow us to attend the funeral prayer of my father. We were not allowed to see his face for last occasion. On that night, in one hand my father was executed while on the other, the ruling party miscreants attacked my family members. Several members of my family were taken to the jail. How much injustice and inhuman torture it was, the people of the country would realize it. I am seeking justice from the court of the people’s good conscience about such inhuman and brutal torture by the government. We hope and believe that, Almighty Allah will do due justice of these repression and torture. We also believe that, Almighty Allah would accept the sacrifice and martyrdom of my father and would bestow him the best place in the holy Janaah.
As a son of a suppressed father, I am calling upon the countrymen to raise their voice against the torture and repression by the government.
On behalf of my family, I am expressing my deep gratitude to those countries and human rights organizations, which have protested against the unlawful and unjust deeds of the government, extended their sympathy to our family and arranged funerals in absentia. Finally, I am concluding my written statement with a big thanks to all of you. Thank you so much.
——-Hasan Jamil
Elder son of martyr Abdul Quader Molla