The Appellate Division will hear appeals by war criminals Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury against their death sentences on Apr 28. The four-member bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha set the new date after lawyers of the convicts appealed for more time during court hearing on Wednesday, Assistant Attorney General Bashir Ahmed said. Khandaker Mahbub Hossain represented BNP leader Salauddin and Shishir Monir argued for Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mujaheed. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and his assistant Ahmed represented the state. “We wanted more time. The court has set the hearing for Apr 28,” Hossain told bdnews24.com after Wednesday’s proceedings. Justifying their request, he said, “City polls and Bar Council elections are being held. Also both the cases have same lawyers. That is why we asked for time.” Bangladesh’s second war crimes tribunal sentenced “atrocious” Al-Badr commander Mujaheed to death on July 17, 2013 for killing of intellectuals and murder and torture of Hindus. He challenged the verdict on Aug 11 the same year. Although the prosecution did not move the court, it said it would take part in the hearing and argue for the upholding the sentence. The first war crimes tribunal on Oct 1, 2013 sentenced Chittagong’s wartime terror Salauddin Quader Chowdhury to death for crimes “ for which the collective conscience of mankind would tremble”. He was found guilty of murdering Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya owner Nutan Chandra Singha, genocide of Hindus at Sultanpur and Unsattar Parha, and abduction and murder of a Hathazari Awami League leader and his son Sheikh Alamgir. Chowdhury was the first sitting MP to be convicted of war crimes. The BNP Standing Committee member challenged the verdict in court on Oct 29 the same year.
