Petitions by war crimes convicts Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid for a review of their death sentences will be heard at the Appellate Division on Nov 2.
The Supreme Court’s Chamber Judge Syed Mahmud Hossain gave the order on Tuesday after hearing the State’s petition, which had sought a date for hearing of the petitions.
Chowdhury’s plea seeking deposition of eight witnesses will be heard the same day, said Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, who represented the BNP leader on Monday.
The war criminals filed the pleas to review their sentences on Oct 14. The next day, the State filed the petition.
The Appellate Division awarded its verdicts against Chowdhury on July 29 and Mujahid on June 16 this year, upholding death sentences.
On Sep 30, the Supreme Court published the full verdict and they were sent to the International Crimes Tribunal the same day.
The tribunal issued the death warrants and sent them to jail authorities on the following day.
Mujahid, the social welfare minister in Khaleda Zia’s coalition Cabinet, planned and executed mass murders including those of intellectuals, scientists, academics and journalists in 1971.
The International Crimes Tribunal on Jul 17, 2013, ordered death for him for the massacre of the intellectuals and involvement in the murder and torture of Hindus in 1971.
On Oct 1 the same year, BNP Standing Committee member Chowdhury was sentenced to death by the tribunal.
He was found guilty in nine out of the 23 charges levelled against him by the prosecution.
Source: bdnws24