Dhaka – Bangladesh on Monday lodged protest against Turkish reactions over the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leader who was convicted of crimes committed during the country’s 1971 war against Pakistan.

Both Pakistan and Turkey reacted over execution of Mir Quasem Ali, a leader of the Jamaat and financier of the party, on Saturday. Turkey previously reacted on the execution of the Jamaat Chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.

Quasem Ali was hanged for killings, abductions and other atrocities carried out by him along with the Pakistani army during the nine-month war.

Turkish foreign ministry in a statement on Sunday termed the execution as a wrong practice.

“We stress once again that the wounds of the past cannot be healed with these methods and hope that this wrong practice will not lead to separation among the brotherly people of Bangladesh,” the statement said.

“We have learned with sorrow that the death sentence issued by the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh against Mir Quasem Ali, Key-Financier and Central Executive Council Member of the Jamaat-e-Islami, has been executed in Bangladesh,” it added.

Bangladesh came up with explanation a day after.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a note verbale to the Turkish embassy in Dhaka saying such reactions amount to interference in matters pertaining to a sovereign state.

The statement said the protest note pointed out that such reaction did not help foster bilateral relations that existed between the two brotherly countries.

“Given the genesis of the establishing of the International Crimes Tribunals (ICT-BD) it was expressed that through these trials against the perpetrators of war crime and crime against humanity committed in 1971, the long cherished aspiration of the nation will be fulfilled, justice ensured, rule of law upheld and opportunities for true reconciliation will be created,” it read.

The note verbale elaborated the crimes perpetrated by Quasem Ali, one of the central commanders of the infamous al-Badr militia force in 1971 in Chittagong during the Liberation War.

“The verdicts against him had been handed down through an independent, fair and transparent judicial process, with full access given to national and international media and without any political interference,” the statement said quoting the protest note.

It said the defence lawyers were given unimpeded access to the proceedings of the court throughout the trial process.

“The ICT-BD trials took solely into consideration the crimes i.e. crimes against humanity and genocide in Bangladesh committed by Mr. Ali during 1971 and was not at all based on his political identity or affiliation,” the statement read.

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