The International Crimes Tribunal is set to pronounce its verdict today in the case against BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury for his involvement in crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War.
The BNP leader was arrested on December 16, 2010, in the capital’s Banani area, in connection with the torching of a car at Moghbazar on June 26 the same year.
After the Tribunal issued an arrest warrant on December 19, 2010, he was arrested for his alleged involvement with crimes against humanity. On January 17, 2012, the Tribunal sent him to jail.
The prosecution pressed 23 war crimes charges against Chowdhury on November 14 the same year.
Charges against Chowdhury include murder, torture, genocide, abduction, confinement, deportation, persecution on religious grounds, looting and arson during the Liberation War.
The tribunal took the charges against Salahuddin Quader into cognisance on November 17, 2011. He was indicted on 23 charges including genocide and murder on April 4, 2012.
On July 28 this year, the prosecution started placing arguments against the BNP leader. The defence placed its arguments on July 31.
At the beginning of the trial, the defence submitted 1153 names as witnesses. But on June 13 the tribunal 1 had passed an order limiting Salahuddin’s defence counsel to 5 from that list.
As many as 41 prosecution witnesses testified against the accused while four people including Salahuddin Quader gave depositions in favour of the accused.
The court concluded hearing the case on August 14, and made the verdict CAV (curia advisari vult, a Latin term meaning that the court requires time to consider the matter further).
