Discharge Petition
Qauder Mollah counsels end argument
The defence counsels yesterday completed their arguments on the petition seeking discharge of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah from the charges of crimes against humanity he is facing at International Crimes Tribunal-2.
After the lunch break, Abdur Razzaq, chief of defence counsels, resumed his arguments for the second day on the discharge petition.
Referring to the first count, Razzaq said there was no witness in support of the charge, which had been brought on the basis of a newspaper report, and the newspaper made the report quoting a 2007 book edited by Shahriar Kabir.
After being “wiser” by the repeated questions of the Tribunal-1, the prosecution submitted a petition, seeking two additional witnesses to support the charge, the defence counsel said, quoting some news reports about the March 14 proceeding of Tribunal-1.
As there is no witness, the charge could not be framed, Razzaq said and appealed to the tribunal for not accepting the petition.
He placed his arguments on all seven charges brought against the Jamaat assistant secretary general and sought discharge of his client from the charges.
The three-member Tribunal-2, headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, fixed May 16 for recording the prosecution's reply in this regard.
Justice Obaidul Hassan and Judge M Shahinur Islam are two other members of the tribunal.
The chief defence counsel also placed his arguments against the prosecution's petition, which sought permission to make some correction, addition and omission of the formal charges.
Quader Mollah was not produced yesterday as per the tribunal's earlier direction.
BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim
The defence counsels of former BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim placed their arguments for second subsequent day yesterday, supporting their discharge petition, which was filed in response to the prosecution's prayer to indict the former minister. As yesterday's proceeding began at 10:40am, Tajul Islam, one of the defence counsels of Alim, resumed his arguments referring to a website. Prosecution documents show the website calls Abdul Alim a Razakar. Tajul Islam said the website was built on March 23, 2009 in the USA, and it is not "dependable" and "authentic", as it is an individual's website. So it could not be used as a document, he said. The defence counsel then went through the counts of crimes brought against the former minister and placed his arguments. Tajul referred to the first count where the prosecution said Alim along with the Pakistani army and other auxiliary forces looted the house of a local Awami League leader in Joypurhat and then torched it on April 20, while the formal charges said the Pakistan Army came to Joypurhat on April 21. “So how it was possible to commit such crimes on April 20", he asked. “The prosecution brings the allegation as it, by some way, wants to implicate me [Alim]". Tajul yesterday completed his arguments on 13 out of 28 incidents of crimes allegedly committed by the lawmaker, who had been elected three times. The tribunal adjourned the case proceeding till today. Alim, who is facing 74 charges of crimes against humanity, was present in court yesterday. Jamaat leader Sayedee
Meanwhile, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 recorded the cross-examination of Investigation Officer Mohammad Helal Uddin, the 28th and last prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami Delawar Hossain Sayedee, for the eighth day yesterday. His cross-examination will resume today. The Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer was produced before the court. He is facing 20 specific charges of crimes against humanity that he allegedly committed during the Liberation War of 1971.
The defence counsels of former BNP lawmaker Abdul Alim placed their arguments for second subsequent day yesterday, supporting their discharge petition, which was filed in response to the prosecution's prayer to indict the former minister. As yesterday's proceeding began at 10:40am, Tajul Islam, one of the defence counsels of Alim, resumed his arguments referring to a website. Prosecution documents show the website calls Abdul Alim a Razakar. Tajul Islam said the website was built on March 23, 2009 in the USA, and it is not "dependable" and "authentic", as it is an individual's website. So it could not be used as a document, he said. The defence counsel then went through the counts of crimes brought against the former minister and placed his arguments. Tajul referred to the first count where the prosecution said Alim along with the Pakistani army and other auxiliary forces looted the house of a local Awami League leader in Joypurhat and then torched it on April 20, while the formal charges said the Pakistan Army came to Joypurhat on April 21. “So how it was possible to commit such crimes on April 20", he asked. “The prosecution brings the allegation as it, by some way, wants to implicate me [Alim]". Tajul yesterday completed his arguments on 13 out of 28 incidents of crimes allegedly committed by the lawmaker, who had been elected three times. The tribunal adjourned the case proceeding till today. Alim, who is facing 74 charges of crimes against humanity, was present in court yesterday. Jamaat leader Sayedee
Meanwhile, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 recorded the cross-examination of Investigation Officer Mohammad Helal Uddin, the 28th and last prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami Delawar Hossain Sayedee, for the eighth day yesterday. His cross-examination will resume today. The Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer was produced before the court. He is facing 20 specific charges of crimes against humanity that he allegedly committed during the Liberation War of 1971.
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