Salauddin Quader’s death sentence is proportionate to crimes he committed, Appellate Division says

The death sentence of BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury is commensurate to the gravity of the crimes he committed during the Liberation War, the Appellate Division has observed.

In its full verdict on Chowdhury’s appeal against the death sentence, the Supreme Court also observed that the awarding of the death sentence to him was adequate and no leniency should be shown to him.

The court published full verdicts on appeals against death sentences of Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid on Wednesday.

In the 217-page verdict against Chowdhury, the court said the appeal by the defence had ‘no basis at all’.

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“There are strong evidence on record that the accused was not only physically present in those incidents, he had also actively participated in those killing,” the verdict said.

The court also said the tribunal recorded his ‘demeanour’ observing that he was arrogant and violated its decorum by shouting and continued such conduct throughout the process of the trial despite warnings.

“He did not show any respect to the members of the tribunal and disregarded the authority of the tribunal. In view of his conduct and behaviour, and also in view of his direct participation, and the brutality exerted in those incidents, awarding of death sentences was proportionate to the gravity of those crimes,” it said.

It also observed: “He was directly involved in those heinous crimes and his participation was intentional with motive to eliminate a religious community as a whole for political vengeance.”

“He persecuted civilian and unarmed people, tortured them to death, caused disappearance of innocent people and helped in disappearing people in collaboration with the occupier Pakistani Army.

“Accordingly it is one of the fittest cases to award such sentences. We find no cogent ground to interfere with the sentences of death,” it said.

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Always at the centre of controversy for his remarks and actions, Chowdhury is the first BNP leader to be walking the gallows for atrocities during the 1971 War of Independence.

He is the second former minister, after Jamaat’s Mujahid, whose death sentence has been upheld.

During the trial, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's role in the large-scale killing of Hindus and Awami League activists during the 1971 Liberation War was recounted in detail.

He is the eldest son of the former Muslim League leader Fazlul Quader Chwodhury.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced him to death on Oct 1, 2013, for murdering Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya owner Nutan Chandra Singha, genocide of Hindus at Sultanpur and Unsattar Parha, and abduction and murder of a Hathazari Awami League leader and his son Sheikh Alamgir.