Mir Quasem’s review hearing to start today

The counsels of war criminal Mir Quasem Ali have once again lodged a three-week’s adjournment petition to delay the hearing of a review plea on the death sentences against the al-Badr commander. A five-member Appellate Division panel headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha had earlier adjourned the hearing as Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, chief counsel for Jamaat financier Quasem, pleaded for two months’ time to prepare. After the granted deadline of one month ended, the hearing was enlisted yesterday afternoon in Wednesday’s cause list of the appeals court. Khandaker Mahbub yesterday told media that preparation could not be taken in one month as Mir Quasem’s son Barrister Mir Ahmmad Bin Quasem, who is a counsel of the case, was missing. All case dockets were in his custody, Mahbub said, adding that the court might hear their adjournment petition on Wednesday. On July 25, the apex court set August 24 for holding the hearing while accepting the time plea filed by Mir Quasem. The International Crimes Tribunal had awarded capital punishment to Quasem, now 64, on November 3, 2014. As many as 24 prosecution witnesses testified against Quasem. The tribunal handed down the death penalty on two charges including killing seven people after abduction. He was also awarded a total of 72-year imprisonment on eight other proven charges of abduction, conspiracy and planning. Later, the Supreme Court upheld the tribunal’s death sentence. Quasem then filed a plea seeking review of the Supreme Court verdict. In 1967, Quasem joined Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat, while studying at Chittagong Collegiate School. He later became its Chittagong city unit general secretary. He played an important role in forming al-Badr Bahini. He had set up makeshift torture camps at different places in the port city. According to the government, Quasem has also spent a large amount of money abroad to make the war crimes trials controversial.