Jamaat calls hartal for Thursday, Sunday
Jamaat-e-Islami has called a total of 48-hour countrywide hartal in protest of the Appellate Division's verdict that gave the party's top leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment until death. Jamaat's acting Ameer Mokbul Ahmed issued a statement on Wednesday, immediately after the verdict was pronounced. The hartals will be enforced on Thursday and Sunday. The party also declared to offer a special prayer on Friday and to stage a agitation programme on Saturday.
Kamaruzzaman appeal verdict any day
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict any day on an appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman. The four-member Appellate Division bench passed the order on Wednesday afternoon, keeping the case CAV, meaning 'verdict would be delivered later. On May 9 of last year, International Crimes Tribunal 2 awarded death penalty to the Jamaat leader and also a former al-Badr leader on two out of the seven charges brought against him. He was given the death penalty for genocide at Sohagpur and murder of Golam Mostafa.
Sayedee to die in prison
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has given top Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment untill death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The five-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain pronounced the verdict in response to an appeal petition filed by Sayedee, challenging the verdict of the tribunal. The other members are Justice SK Sinha, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury. The five-member bench of Appellate Division handed down the punishment on three counts of crimes, including killing Bisabali and setting fire on houses at Hindu Para of Umedpur (charge 10), abduction, confinement and rape of Mohamaya, Anno Rani and Komol Rani (charge 16) and forced conversion of members of the Hindu community of Pirojpur(charge 19).
Police charge baton, fire tear shells on Moncho activists
Police have charged baton on the activists of Gonojagoron Moncho to foil their rally brought in protest of the appellate division's verdict that gave war criminal Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment until death. Police officials charged baton on the activist when they were staging a sit-in programme at Shahbagh intersection on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the police unleashed water-cannon and fired rubber bullets and tear shells on the protesters. Earlier in the morning, the activists brought out a rally protesting the verdict around 10:30am. Later, they started staging a sit-in programme when the law enforcers stopped their procession as it reached Shahbagh intersection.
Attorney General: No scope for review petition
Attorney General Mahbub-e-Alam has said no review petition, challenging the SC verdict against top Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, would be acceptable. He has made the statement at a press briefing at the Supreme Court premises on Wednesday morning, immediately after the five-member Appellate Division pronounced the verdict. Mahbub-e-Alam said: “As I said earlier, there will be no scope for reviewing the verdict. I already settled it in the trial against Molla that in this matter no review is acceptable.”
While expressing his reaction over the verdict, he said "The Appellate Division entertained both the appeals partially. I expected that the SC would uphold the tribunal verdict. We are disappointed over the new verdict.”
Defense to file review petition
Defense lawyer Tajul Islam has said they will file a review petition, challenging the verdict of the Appellate Division that gave top Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee imprisonment until death. Expressing dissatisfaction, he said: “We will file a review petition after getting the full copy of the verdict.” He said: “Skype scam took place in this case and witness Shukhronjonbali was also kidnapped. Sayedee has been given imprisonment for Ibrahim Kutti's muder, even though his wife did not accuse Sayedee.”
Arms, ammo recovered in Habiganj again
Rapid Action Battalion once again have found a large cache of arms and ammunition from the bordering Satchhari forest in Chunarughat of Habiganj. The RAB officials said they have recovered the huge amount of arms and ammunitions from the forest on Wednesday morning, after conducting drive for the fourth time. However, the RAB members did not disclose the detailed information. Detailed information will be made public at a press conference in the afternoon
Govt to take tougher stance during hartal
State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government would take tougher stance against any kind of subversive activities during the Jamaat hartal. The minister made the statement while talking to the journalists at his secretariat office on Wednesday afternoon. He said: “If they [Jamaat –Shibir activists] conduct any subversive activities during the hartal, the government will take tougher stance.”
