Abdul Quader Molla Abdul Quader Molla ( ) ( born 14 August 1948 ) is a politician in Bangladesh , convicted of war crimes during 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh . He is the assistant secretary - general of the Jamaat - e - Islami , the largest Islamist party in the country . He is the former executive editor of " The Daily Sangram " , and twice unsuccessfully stood for parliament in 1986 and 1996 , contesting the seat Faridpur - 4 for Jamaat - e - Islami . He was convicted on five of six counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes at his trial at the International Crimes Tribunal , on 5 February 2013 . A member of the Al - Badar militia during the liberation war , Mollah was convicted of killing 344 civilians and other crimes . He was sentenced to life in prison . As a direct result of the sentence the 2013 Shahbag protests began with the protestors demanding capital punishment for all those on trial . The protest spread from Dhaka to other parts of the country . Protesters called for those convicted of war crimes to be sentenced to capital punishment , and also to ban Jamaat - e - Islami . Jamaat - e - Islmi started violent counter - protest in the country , demanding the release of its convicted and accused leaders . On September 17 , 2013 , the Bangladesh Supreme Court found Molla guilty of murders and other war crimes and he was given capital punishment , converting his life sentence to death sentence . Early life . Abdul Quader Molla was born in the village of Amirabad , Faridpur in 1948 . He attended school at Amirabad Fazlul Huq Institute . In 1966 , while studying for a science degree at Rajendra College , Faridpur , he joined the student wing of Jamaat - e - Islami , then known as ' Islami Chatra Sangha ' ( ICS ) , and was elected as president . He graduated from Rajendra College in 1968 , and the following year he enrolled in a Master ' s programme at Dhaka University . While studying there , he was elected president of the Shahidullah Hall unit of the Islami Chatra Sangha . Political career . In 1971 leaders of Jamaat opposed the independence movement in East Pakistan , as they believed it went against Islam to break up the Muslim state . As a member of Islaim Chatra Sangha , Quader Molla joined its paramilitary force , Al - Badar , during the liberation war . But , Bangladesh achieved independence that year . Jamaat was banned from political participation under the new government . After assassination of the president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 and a military coup , the new government permitted Jamaat to participate in politics again . Quader Molla became active in the party . By 2010 he was assistant secretary general of the party . He was elected to the Bangladesh National Press Club , in recognition of his status . War crimes trial . In the twenty - first century , the government of Bangladesh established an International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute war crimes that were committed in 1971 during the liberation war . A formal charge was filed by the Prosecution against Abdul Quader Molla on 18 December 2011 in the form of a petition , as required under Section 9 ( 1 ) of the 1973 Act . He was charged with abetting the Pakistani army and actively participating in the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities : rape ( including the rape of minors ) and mass murder of Bangladesh is in the Mirpur area of Dhaka during the Bangladesh Liberation War . A member of the Rajakar militia during the war , Mollah was charged with killing 344 civilians . As " The Independent " reported : " Abdul Quader Mollah , the assistant secretary - general of Bangladesh ’ s Jamaat - e - Islami party , sparked protests when he emerged from Bangladesh ’ s Supreme Court on 4 February having been handed a life sentence for his role in the atrocities committed during the 1971 war for independence . He was clearly happy with the ruling – giving a victory sign to supporters outside the court . But critics of the so - called Butcher of Mirpur – who was convicted of of beheading a poet , raping an 11 - year - old girl and shooting 344 people – have been left fuming over the sentence , and are calling for him to face the death sentence , like fellow accused Abul Kalam Azad . " Verdict . Under section 20 ( 3 ) of the Act of 1973 , the International Crimes Tribunal announced a verdict and handed down a life sentence to Abdul Quader Molla on 5 February 2013 , with an additional 15 - year sentence to be served in addition to the time he has been imprisoned since his arrest . Reaction . Some activists protested and demonstrated , demanding the death penalty and an end to extremism in politics . A major protest started at the Shahbag intersection in central Dhaka . Bloggers and online activists called for further mass demonstration at Shahbag intersection . Thousands of people joined the protest and the demonstration culminated in the 2013 Shahbag protests . Since the start of protests , tens of thousands of people have been holding day - and - night vigils at Shahbag , refusing to leave until all those convicted of war crimes are sentenced to capital punishment . A counter protest against the trials and general strike was launched by Jamaat - e - Islami , as most of the accused have been Jamaat leaders . The Bangladesh Nationalist Party ( BNP ) had initially expressed support for Jamaat - e - Islami , a principal ally in their Four - Party Alliance in the 2000s . The BNP has commented on the Shahbag Protest , warning that the government should not be allowed to draw political mileage from the movement that is demanding capital punishment for convicted war criminals . Responding to the demand of the Shahbag activists , on 13 February 2013 , the National Press Club of Bangladesh stripped Quader Molla of his membership . On 17 February 2013 , the Bangladeshi Parliament passed a bill amending the International Crimes ( Tribunal ) Act of 1973 . Jamaat members have also led protests against the trials , saying that the government is trying to suppress the opposition . It called for a general strike in Dhaka , shutting down activity in the city . Death sentence . On September 17 , 2013 , Bangladesh Supreme Court found Molla guilty of murders and other war crimes and ordered his execution , converting his life sentence to death sentence .