Bangladesh halts execution of opposition leader

DHAKA: The appeals division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court is reviewing death sentence for one of the country’s opposition leaders after a judge halted his execution at the last minute so his attorneys could seek a new review of the case.

The execution of Abdul Quader Mollah, convicted of war crimes, had been scheduled for the early hours Wednesday, but lawyers went to the home of judge Syed Mahmud Hossain and sought a postponement, defense lawyer Sazzad Ali Chowdhury said.

"We have got that order," Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury said the postponement gave them time to file a petition which the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division was reviewing Wednesday.

The execution would be the first in special trials begun by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2010 of suspects accused of crimes during the nation’s war of independence in 1971.

Mollah´s party, the Jamaat-e-Islami party, issued a statement warning of "dire consequences" if he was executed.

Carrying out the execution could further complicate an already critical political situation in Bangladesh, where there have been violent protests by the opposition for weeks to demand a non-party caretaker government to oversee next election.

The government has rejected that demand and said a political government headed by Hasina would conduct the election.

The government has set the election for Jan. 5, but an opposition alliance led by opposition leader Khaleda Zia plans to boycott it. (AP)