Bangladesh Islamist leader gets death penalty for war crimes

Bangladesh's Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of an Islamist leader against his jail term for war crimes and sentenced him to death.

In February Abdul Kader Mullah, of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was convicted by a special tribunal of crimes during the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.

Speaking outside court, Additional Attorney General M K Rahman, announced the death sentence.

"The government appeal has been allowed unanimously, and on charge number six, he has been awarded the sentence of death," he said.

Meanwhile a small protest took place in Dhaka.