Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam has filed a petition with the Supreme Court, pleading to review its judgement that upheld his death sentence initially awarded by International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
Confirming the matter to BSS, Azhar’s counsel Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir said they filed the 23-page review plea on Sunday, seeking his acquittal on 14 grounds.
The Appellate Division on October 31, 2019 had pronounced its judgement, upholding death for the leader of vicious Al-Badr Bahini’s Rangpur district unit for his monstrous 1971 war crimes.
On March 25, 2020, the apex court released the full text of that judgment.
Earlier, the ICT on December 30, 2014 had sentenced Azhar to death for his crimes against humanity in Rangpur during the Liberation War. The tribunal found him guilty in five out of six charges framed against him.
“During the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, Azhar collaborated with Pakistani army to execute their plan and design in committing crimes against humanity and genocide all over Rangpur district. As the commander of Al-Badr Bahini, he resisted the War of Liberation and committed atrocities all over the district through his members of Al-Badr Bahini,” the tribunal’s verdict said.
The convicted war criminal appealed against his conviction on January 28, 2015.
Azhar, hailed from village Batason Lohanipara in Badorganj, Rangpur, became president of Islami Chhatra Sangha, Jamaat’s then student wing, Rangpur district unit in 1971. As the war broke out, he formed pro-Pakistani death squad Al-Badr Bahini in the district.
As Bangladesh got liberated on December 16, 1971, he like many others of his party went into hiding, only to be surfaced after the brutal killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.
Azhar joined Jamaat and managed to climb its ranks swiftly from 1982 to 1990. He was the president of Jamaat’s Dhaka city unit from 1991-2002. Later, he became the party’s central assistant secretary general.
He was arrested on August 23, 2012, after the first war crimes tribunal issued an arrest warrant. The prosecution submitted a formal charge against him on July 18, 2013. The first tribunal took the charges pressed against Azhar into cognizance on July 25.
The tribunal on November 12, 2013, framed six charges of crimes against humanity against Azhar.
During the trial proceedings, the prosecution had produced 19 witnesses including the investigation officer, while the defence produced one.
