The state petition to the Appellate Division seeking an early date for the hearing of Motiur Rahman Nizami’s review petition against his death sentence will be heard on April 3.
Chamber Judge Mirza Hossain Haider yesterday sent the government petition to the April 3 cause list of the full bench, Deputy Attorney General Ekramul Haque Tutul told reporters.
Condemned war criminal Nizami lodged the review petition on Tuesday challenging the Supreme Court’s verdict that upheld the death penalty on him. In the 70-page petition he prayed to the Appellate Division to acquit him of all charges. The convict has cited 46 grounds.
That day Additional Attorney General Murad-e-Reza told reporters that the state would take steps to have the hearing held soon.
As per the rules, a war crimes convict can file a review petition within 15 days of receiving the full verdict. Nizami filed it a day before the deadline.
If the review petition is rejected, the government may start the process of executing the death sentence given by the International Crimes Tribunal. The convict will get a last chance to live by admitting his guilt and seeking presidential clemency.