Main opposition BNP is split over taking a position on the upcoming verdict in the war crimes case against its standing committee member Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.
Family of the accused, however, said they did not have any expectation from the party and did not know the party’s stance in this regard.
The verdict could be delivered any day as the International Crimes Tribunal 1 wrapped up the closing arguments of both the prosecution and the defence on Wednesday.
Several senior leaders told this correspondent that the party should “strongly” stand beside the Chittagong MP while some others said it would not be wise to ignore the public opinion which favours the trial.
Some pointed out that since BNP claims to be a party of pro-liberation force having many freedom fighters as its leaders, it should not stand beside Salahuddin Quader as a strategic stance.
A decision on the issue may come up at the standing committee meeting slated for August 17 at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office, senior leaders said.
The BNP remained silent over the verdicts handed down in the cases against top leaders of its key ally, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. It even kept away from supporting Jamaat’s programmes, launched protesting the verdicts. After Jamaat’s registration was declared illegal by the High Court and it enforced a 48-hour countrywide hartal, the BNP did not extend its support. BNP, however, on different occasions questioned the neutrality of the trial process terming it politically-motivated.
“I cannot say anything in this regard. I even do not know what will be the party stance. We have a standing committee meeting on Saturday [tomorrow] and this issue might be discussed there,” Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, member of the highest policymaking body of the party, told the Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
Mosharraf, also a former minister, said the BNP was always in favour of the trial of “real” war criminals.
He observed that the trials should be transparent and international standards maintained.
“We should stand on our previous stance. We should not protest the verdict whatever it is, rather we will take strategic stance,” another senior BNP leader, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Farhat Quader Chowdhury, wife of Salahuddin, said: “I informed madam [Khaleda Zia] time to time on the trial process. She listened to me with great patience. Madam knows everything that is happening in the trial.”
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Farhat with a frustrated tone said she and her family had done their best. “I will not say anything to the BNP. He [Salahuddin] is a party leader.
“If the BNP thinks they will do something, it is fine. But if it does not, I have nothing to say. The party will do whatever it finds to be good. I did not expect anything from the party.”
Asked if she had informed the party chairperson about the latest update, Farhat said she would inform her within a day or two.
