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SQ Chy Verdict Leak Plot

BNP now embarrassed

Prabir Barua Chowdhury
The BNP will not announce any programme any time soon to protest the conviction of its leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury by a war crimes tribunal as the party's policymakers are embarrassed about the suspected involvement of Salauddin's lawyer in the leak of the draft verdict, party sources said.
The high-ups of the main opposition party thought that the caretaker government issue should get priority in planning the party's next course of action as the incumbent government has reached the fag end of
its tenure and the next general election is due within just over three months.
The party had been almost silent over the trial of war criminals until its standing committee member Salauddin was sentenced to death by International Crimes Tribunal-1 on October 1 for committing crimes against humanity in Chittagong during the Liberation War.
The leak of the draft verdict against BNP lawmaker Salauddin provided the party with an opportunity to question the transparency and standard of the trial.
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The following day, local BNP units enforced a daylong hartal in Chittagong and Rangamati protesting the verdict.
Party leaders at a press conference in the capital alleged that Salauddin did not get justice as his trial was part of the government's "well-thought-out plan to eliminate its political opponents."
On October 3, the party staged demonstrations across the country and organised a rally at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan protesting what it called "the government plan to wipe out the opposition and destroy all dem-
ocratic institutions."
But when police accused a lawyer of Salauddin of involvement in the leak of the draft verdict, the scenario changed against the party, BNP sources told The Daily Star.
"Since the beginning of the war crimes trial, the BNP was in an uncomfortable position. Without making any comments on the trial, it just called for ensuring transparency and international standards," said a BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity.
There is strong opinion in the party on the
Salauddin issue over not taking a strong stance in favour of the convict, he added.
Rafiqul Islam Mia, a member of the BNP stand-ing committee, complained that the government was guilty of leaking the draft verdict against the BNP leader as it was "leaked from the law ministry."
Another standing committee member, Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, said the BNP's stance was clear. "We too want the trial of war criminals. But it must maintain transparency and international standards," he noted.