’Verdict established rule of law’

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed says Delwar Hossain Sayedee's death sentence reflects the 'hope of the nation" but he made it clear that the Shahbagh protests did not influence the judgment.

Reacting to the verdict of the war crimes tribunal on Thursday Ahmed said it also frees the country of its shame.

“The verdict came four decades after the crimes during the Liberation War but it has established the rule of law and released the nation from its shame”, Ahmed said.

The Law Minister said the verdict was delivered after both sides were given equal access to law, proving those who question the credibility of the tribunals wrong.

“There is no scope to raise further questions about the trial of war criminals. Even a convict has the right to appeal.”

The nation was able to come out of its ‘culture of impunity’ through the war crimes trials, said the Law Minister.

When asked if Shahbagh’s ‘Prajanma Chattar’ had an effect on the verdict Shafique Ahmed said that was not true.

“The Judges are professional and experienced. They delivered the verdict after weighing through the testimonies and evidences. The protest has no influence on them" Ahmed said.

"Even the protesters at Shahbagh have clarified that their movement is not to influence the Tribunal's judgment.”

“This verdict proves that no one can get away with committing sin,” Junior Minister for Law Qamrul Islam said,

But he expressed apprehension that the Jamaat and the BNP may retaliate violently to Sayedee’s verdict.

“There might be sabotage at Prajanma Chattar. The verdict must be celebrated with caution in mind," Islam said. "Jamaat-Shibir activists can launch attacks with the slogan ‘Joy Bangla’ to create confusion.”

Islam said the police and security forces were on full alert.