Opening statement against Sayedee unfinished

---

The prosecution will finish its opening statement against Sayedee today (Monday) when the International Crimes Tribunal reconvenes, reports bdnews24.com. Cross-examination of witnesses will, however, begin on December 7. Chief prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo began the statement with the historic context that led up to the Liberation War in 1971. Jamaat-e-Islami's executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee has been charged on 20 counts with war crimes that he allegedly committed during the War of Independence. After about an hour, the 82-year-old chief prosecutor asked his colleague Syed Rezaur Rahman to continue with the opening statement. But Rezaur Rahman could not get through the 88-page document either, when the tribunal said it would hear the remainder today. The tribunal asked the prosecution to give its opening statement minutes before going into lunch recess after having heard two applications filed by the defence. One of the applications sought explanation from the tribunal chief Nizamul Huq, why he had not removed himself from the tribunal. Barrister Abdur Razzaq argued for Sayedee on the first application of the day. The other application sought adjournment of Sayedee's trial. He has been indicted on 20 counts including genocide, murder, rape, arson and loot. Lawyer Tajul Islam urged the tribunal to delay the trial to prepare its case and the list of witnesses. Nizamul Huq, presiding over Sunday's proceedings, said in his order that the first application, asking for his explanation to stay on as head of the tribunal, would be disposed of Wednesday. In response to the second application seeking adjournment of the trial proceedings, he fixed December 7 for the defence to submit its list of witnesses. Nizamul then directed the prosecution to begin its opening statement in the ongoing trial against Sayedee. The defence had filed its application seeking removal of the tribunal chief stating that his neutrality had been compromised due to his earlier involvement with a people's inquiry commission. As part of that team, he collected evidence against Sayedee and thus has already formed an opinion about the accused who would be tried under him, the defence had said.