Appeal hearing of SQ Chy begins

The hearing of an appeal against the war crimes tribunal's verdict by BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury has started, reports bdnews24.com.

A four-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha heard the matter on Tuesday.

This is the fifth war crimes case to have gone up to the top court.

Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and SM Shahjahan argued for the war crimes convict while the state was represented by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Ekramul Haque.

During Tuesday's hearing, Chowdhury's counsels read out the charges brought by the prosecution, lawyer SM Shahjahan told the news agency.

"The presentation on testimonies of prosecution witness on the second charge has been completed," he said.

The hearing, which started around 10:45 am and ended at 1:15 pm with a recess of half an hour, will resume today (Wednesday), according to Deputy Attorney General Ekramul Haque.

The first war crimes tribunal on Oct 1, 2013, sentenced Salauddin Quader Chowdhury to death for crimes 'that tremble the collective conscience of mankind.'.

He was found guilty of murdering Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya owner Nutan Chandra Singha, genocide of Hindus at Sultanpur and Unsattar Parha, and abduction and murder of a Hathazari Awami League leader and his son Sheikh Alamgir.

Chowdhury was the first sitting MP to be convicted of war crimes.

The BNP Standing Committee member challenged the verdict in court on October 29 the same year.