Sayedee's Case
Tribunal postpones hearing till Sept 21
The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday postponed the hearing on charge framing against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee as he was reportedly 'unfit to travel' to the court from jail.
The scheduled hearing against the Jamaat leader for his alleged crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971 was postponed till September 21, Shahinur Islam, the registrar of the tribunal, told The Daily Star.
The trial will be held at 10:30am today.
Prior to resumption of the day's trial the jail authorities formally informed that Saydee would not be produced before the court as he was 'unfit to travel' to the court, Shahinur added.
The registrar, however, could not confirm whether the Jamaat leader was sick.
Lawyer of the accused, Tajul Islam, said Saydee needs to be present before the court during the hearing.
A number of policemen were deployed at the tribunal premises since morning to ensure security.
Earlier on Monday, hundreds of Jamaat leaders and activists engaged in a furious battle with the police for over an hour in the capital's Kakrail, Bijoy Nagar and Paltan.
Vehicles were torched and vandalised after police prevented the Jamaat men from holding a rally demanding release of their leaders, including Saydee, who are now behind bar on war crimes charges.
On September 13, the tribunal asked the prosecution to submit copies of video clippings on crimes allegedly committed by Saydee by September 15 and adjourned its hearing till September 20.
The tribunal gave the order after defence counsels said the prosecution had not supplied the evidence to back their accusation on September 4, regarding 31 crimes allegedly committed by Saydee in Pirojpur in 1971.
Saydee was arrested on July 30 last year.
Four other senior Jamaat leaders and two BNP leaders are facing similar war crimes charges.
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