Political parties yesterday expressed mixed reactions to the Supreme Court verdict commuting war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s death penalty to imprisonment until death with the ruling party expressing respect to the court and left parties in its alliance showing frustration.
The BNP, which is the key ally of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the 20-party alliance, did not come up with any reaction as it did on previous occasions of verdict in war crimes trial against Jamaat leaders.
At a press briefing at the Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi, leaders of the ruling Awami League said the verdict did not reflect the expectations of the people and the alliance but they accepted it.
“The people and the 14-party alliance had expected that the apex court would uphold the death sentence of convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee. But, we respect the court’s decision,” said 14-party spokesperson Mohammad Nasim.
When journalists asked him about the hearsay that the verdict was the outcome of an entente between the government and Jamaat, Nasim said: “There is no question of any entente. The court is independent and there was no interference.”
About Jamaat’s hartal, he said Jamaat had called shutdowns earlier but people did not support it and they would not support it this time, too. “Law enforcers will tackle them [hartal supporters] as the law takes its own course.”
Left political parties expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict.
The president and secretary general of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, a component in the Awami League-led alliance, in a press statement said people had no got what they wanted.
Sayedee was the main organiser of the Razakar forces which were directly involved with the genocide during the war of independence in 1971, the statement said, adding that Sayedee also took part in the conspiracy against Bangladesh after its liberation.
The Workers Party was unhappy with the verdict and wanted Jamaat to be banned as a communal political party, said the joint statement of party President Rashed Khan Menon and Secretary General Fazle Hossain Badsha said.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Basod) also expressed dissatisfaction, saying the judgement did not fulfil people’s expectations.
In a joint statement, CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and Basod General Secretary Khalequzzaman said: “The tribunal had sentenced Sayedee to death and the people were waiting for the implementation that judgement. But when the judgement was being delayed people became doubtful. Today’s judgement has deepened people’s frustration.”
ASM Rab, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad), said: “Many think the reduced sentence is the result of a secret entente between the government and Jamaat.”
When contacted, several senior leaders of the BNP did not agree to talk on the verdict immediately. They said they would come up with a formal reaction after going through the details of the verdict.
A few leaders said the court had given sentences that it deemed fit.
BNP Standing Committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said: “We should not make any comment on a verdict given by the Supreme Court.”
When journalists asked BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar in a programme at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, he said: “I have no comment on the verdict. If you want know further, I suggest you contact Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to know about the relaxation of Saydee’s punishment.”