BNP upset, aggrieved

The BNP yesterday said it was "upset, surprised, aggrieved and shocked" over the Appellate Division verdict upholding the death penalty of its leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

The ruling Awami League, on the other hand, termed the verdict "historic" and said it has fulfilled people's expectation. AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak gave the reaction at a press conference at the party chief Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi office.

BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon said, "Our party thinks he [Salauddin] has become a victim of political vengeance. The party also thinks he has been denied justice."

At a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan central office, he said there had been a lack of transparency in the trial process. Various legal flaws were also there.

"He [Salauddin] was given the death penalty unjustly. We're aggrieved by the verdict and really disheartened."

He, however, said the BNP was not going to announce any programme protesting the verdict as the trial process was still on.

Speaking highly of Salauddin, Ripon said he was a popular and noted politician. "He was extremely vocal when it came to freedom and sovereignty of the country."

About the BNP's stance on the trial of those who had committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, he said his party was always in favour of the trial. And from the very beginning, it made it clear that it wanted the trial process to be transparent and free from political influence.

Stating that in many countries verdicts were found to be flawed after execution, he urged the court to reconsider the judgment during the review so that this verdict is not considered a "judicial killing" in the future.

Queried why the BNP is backing Salauddin when two freedom fighters in their testimonies before the International Crimes Tribunal-1 said that Major Ziaur Rahman had commissioned the killing of 22 "collaborators", including Salauddin and his father during the Liberation War, Ripon said the nation had never heard of any such claim.

Asked about the media reports on the testimonies, he said newspapers write many things on different issues.

When his attention was drawn to the BNP's charter that says a person will lose his post in the party as well as the party membership if he is punished under the Collaborator Act, 1972, Ripon said the question does not arise here as the judicial process is yet to be completed.

"The party will decide on the course of action as per its charter when time will come," he said adding, "But we still expect justice from the higher court, we hope that the judiciary will review the appeal with wisdom, and free of all political pressure."

Asked whether the BNP was going to announce any programme against the verdict, Ripon said, "We hope he [Salauddin] will get justice during the review of the verdict. So, there's no question of announcing any programme right now."

JAMAAT'S REACTION

Hours after the BNP's reaction, Jamaat-e-Islami, the key ally in the BNP-led 20-party alliance, lambasted the government, saying like the other senior leaders of Jamaat, the government was "pushing Salauddin Quader Chowdhury towards death to eliminate the anti-government patriotic national leaders". Jamaat acting secretary general Shafiqur Rahman yesterday in a statement made the reaction.