The listed cross-examination of the defence witness for war crimes accused BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury could not take place due to nonappearance of DW-3 Qayum Reza Chowdhury at the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday.As the matter came up before the three-member tribunal, Barrister Fakhrul Islam, the counsel for Salauddin Quader, prayed for a five-day adjournment as no DW turned up due to the hartal enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami.
Since DW Qayum and Salman F Rahman, loyal to Awami League, felt hazardous to travel during Jamaat called hartal hours, said Fakhrul.
He said there was also a family pressure not to move during hartal hours to avert any possible risk of life of the DWs.
Opposing the defence plea terming it a dillydally tactic to impede the trial process, prosecutor Sultan Mahmud Simon urged the tribunal to close the DWs’ evidence and fixed the date for law-point arguments.
At this point, senior defence counsel Ahsanul Huq Hena urged for allowing time as the last chance.
Hearing both sides, the tribunal allowed the defence plea in part.
”Bring the DWs on Sunday (July 21) or else the ‘chapter’ will be closed,” said the tribunal.
Detained Salauddin Quader is facing 23 counts of charges under different provisions of section 3 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, including genocide in collaboration with Pakistan occupation army, killing, extermination of Hindu minority groups, deportation, persecution and abduction in Chittagong district during the Liberation War. – UNB
