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SQ Chowdhury denied justice

Says BNP; demonstrations, protest rally today

Staff Correspondent
The BNP yesterday alleged that party leader and lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury did not get justice as "his trial was part of the government's well-thought-out plan to eliminate its political opponents."
The main opposition party said it would stage demonstrations across the country and hold a rally at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan today protesting the government plan, and also its bid to "destroy all state institutions."
FROM PAGE 1
Acting secretary general of the BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the party's formal reaction a day after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced SQ Chowdhury to death for committing crimes against humanity and genocide during the Liberation War in 1971.
Fakhrul read out a statement at a press briefing at his party's Naya Paltan central office. The tribunal's judgment lost its acceptability to people as "the verdict was leaked out before it was delivered," hesaid.
Citing internet sources, Fakhrul said the law ministry started writing the verdict on May 23 this year when the tribunal was recording the depositions. "It is an
unprecedented incident in the history of trials in the world and is contrary to justice. ’
The BNP spokesperson went on, "We are surprised that the International Crimes Tribunal gave death penalty to BNP standing committee member and parliament member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury."
Fakhrul did not reply to any of a volley of questions from journalists at the 14-minute briefing.
"No question, no question," he said while leaving the venue, flanked by the party's standing committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Mia, among others.
Journalists were also not given copies of the state-
ment despite repeated requests from them.
Fakhrul also alleged that the government did not allow two defence witnesses, who are well-established in the society and one of them is a Supreme Court judge, to appear before the tribunal.
He said a defence witness and many others said through affidavits that SQ Chowdhury left Bangladesh on March 29, 1971 and stayed in Pakistan until October of the same year.
"But the tribunal didn't take into consideration that all the nine charges for which he [SQ Chowdhury] was given death sentence and jail terms concerned crimes committed in between April 13 and July, 1971," he added.
Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Zabed Ali yesterday said SQ Chowdhury's membership of parliament will continue until final disposal of the cases.
Talking to journalists at his office, Zabed also said parliament will take the decision regarding cancellation of his membership.
SCBA DEMANDS
PROBE
The Supreme Court Bar Association, dominated by pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers, has demanded formation of a probe body headed by a former chief justice to investigate the alleged leak of the war crimes tribunal's verdict.
It made the demand at an emergency general meeting yesterday.