Death-row war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s wife Farhat Quader Chowdhury has filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the constitutional provision that allows the trial of individuals for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
She challenged the legality of the provision of the 15th amendment to the Constitution. Earlier, the constitution allowed trial of only groups of individuals for committing such crimes.
She also challenged the legality of the appointment of the first three judges of the International Crimes Tribunal – Justice Md Nizamul Huq, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir and former district judge AKM Zaheer Ahmed.
They were involved with the trial proceedings of her husband. She prayed to declare their appointments and also the constitutional provision illegal and unconstitutional.
The government appointed them by issuing a gazette notification on March 25, 2010.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said that he had received a copy of the writ petition from Salauddin’s lawyer. The AG claimed that the issue raised in the writ petition has already been settled by the tribunal and the High Court.
The petition will be moved for hearing next week, said SQ Chowdhury’s lawyer Huzzatul Islam.