Verdict on Sayedee’s appeal today

Security beefed up around SC

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Staff Reporter :The Appellate Division of Supreme Court will deliver its judgment today on the appeal filed by war-crimes convict Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Nayeb-e-Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, seeking acquittal of the sentence on war crime charge.The SC cause-list for Wednesday [shown in its official website] said the announcement of judgement on Sayedee’s appeal would be the first task [number 1] of the court.The five-member bench comprising Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury will deliver the verdict.Though the hearings of the appeal was concluded on Apr 16, the court kept its verdict pending nearly for six months.The International Crimes Tribunal [ICT] on Feb 28, 2013 had ordered Sayedee’s execution for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.Out of the 20 charges, Sayedee was given the death penalty for specific two. 1) The murder of Ibrahim Kutti and Bisabali and 2) for setting fire to Hindu households in Pirojpur district in 1971. Six other charges against him were also proven beyond doubt, but no sentence was awarded, as he had already been given the death penalty. Of the charges, Sayedee was proved guilty for his association with Pakistani soldiers to abduct three women and rape them, torturing people, looting and forcing them to embrace Islam in Pirojpur, and forcing them to leave the country in 1971.He, however, filed two appeals on the same day [March 28] against the sentence [against two charges] seeking acquittal. On the other hand, the government also lodged an appeal to specify the sentence in all the six charges that were proved at the ICT. The Appellate Division bench has so far disposed of the appeal case of Abdul Quader Molla, who was executed on December 12.Six other appeals cases are pending with the court, officials said. Meanwhile, the authorities have taken special security measures across the country as the court is set to pronounce its verdict. As a part of precautionary measures, the movement of general people in the court area has been made restricted.Dhaka Metropolitan Police [DMP] and Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] have beefed up security with deploying additional forces at key points in the city to fend off any kind of untoward incident. Police said the members of DB, SWAT teams and APC personnel would be on duty alongside the regular forces. Sources in the intelligence agencies said, the Jamaat-Shibir activists may have plan to carry out subversive activities after the verdict. In this backdrop, the law enforcing agencies yesterday held several meetings and asked all the police stations under the DMP to take special measures to repel untoward incidents.It is to be noted that after the ICT verdict against Sayedee last year, violence flared up in Satkania, Lohagara, Banshkhali and Sitakunda upazilas in Chittagong. Besides, violence had spread in some other districts in the norther region, including Bogra and Rajshahi, when several people, including policemen, were killed.Jamaat, the key ally of the BNP, may programme shutdown or violent demonstration if the SC convicts Sayedee, sources said. Party insiders said that the Jamaat central committee had already directed its activists across the country to be prepared for tough movement.

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