Defence begins submission in SQ Chowdhury appeal against ICT verdict

The defence has started its submission on the appeal by BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury against the war crimes tribunal verdict.

A four-member Appellate Division bench, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, heard arguments of the defence on Sunday, the 11th day of the hearing on the appeal.

The other members of the bench are Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.

State lawyers on July 1 wrapped up their submission calling for upholding the death penalty that the International Crimes Tribunal had awarded to Chowdhury for crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s Liberation War.

Lawyer SM Shahjahan made arguments in Chowdhury’s favour at Sunday’s hearing, assisted by Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Tanvir Ahmed, Al-Amin and Mohinur Rahman.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Additional Attorney General Momtazuddin Fakir represented the state.

The defence placed its arguments against the second and third charges that the prosecution brought against him at the tribunal.

According to the second charge, on Apr 13, 1971, Chowdhury along with several others accompanied the Pakistani army that raided Maddhya Gohira Hindu Parha in Raozan.

Pakistani troops opened fire, killing Poncha Bala Sharma, Sunil Sharma, Jyoti Lal Sharma, and Dulal Sharma on the spot, and Dr Makhon Lal Sharma succumbed to his wounds a few days later.

Another victim, Jayanta Kumar Sharma, was alive for some years, handicapped.

According to the tribunal, the acts of murder and injury committed in order to destroy the members of Hindu religious group in whole or in part fall under the category of genocide.

The third charge accuses the BNP leader of killing Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya owner and social worker Nutan Chandra Singha of Raozan’s Gohira on Apr 13.

Killing of unarmed Singha has been termed a crime against humanity.

The tribunal awarded him 20 years in jail for second charge and death penalty for the third charge.