The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday promptly ditched the time plea moved by war crimes accused BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury from the dock, asking his counsel to finish the summing–up arguments by the first half on Tuesday. Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, chairman of the three-member tribunal, passed the order on the fifth day of defence summing-up arguments, exceeding the tribunal-set time limit. Before adjourning the trial session, detained accused Salauddin Quader prayed for allowing two days more for summing-up arguments.
Earlier, the tribunal had repeatedly reminded Ahsanul Huq Hena, the defence counsel for the BNP stalwart, to conclude his summing-up arguments by today (Monday). “We don’t see any indication to conclude your arguments,” said the tribunal.
Referring to the usual practice over summing-up arguments, the tribunal said “You were supposed to place facts of the case first and then go for law-point arguments, but you didn’t follow it.”
Replying to the tribunal, Hena disagreeing with the tribunal’s observation said, “I’m on the right track using my best efforts to concentrate on the charges admitting the fact that he has failed to finish his task within the timeline.”
The defence counsel so far argued on only six charges out of 23 along with law-point arguments exhausting a little bit more time which irked the tribunal as it had earlier set three working days for prosecution summing-up arguments and four working days for defence summing-up arguments. Later, the tribunal allowed the prosecution another day for concluding its arguments. Detained accused Salauddin Quader faces trial on 23 counts of charges under different provisions of section 3 (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973. The charges include abduction and murdering civilians, collaborating with the Pakistani occupation army to kill and torture unarmed people, genocide, looting of valuables and torching of houses and other properties, persecuting people on religious and political grounds, and committing atrocities on the Hindus in Chittagong districts.
According to the charges, Salauddin Quader, also a former minister during Gen HM Ershad’s military rule, was involved in the killing of more than 200 people, including the much-talked-about killing of Nutan Chandra Singh, founder of Kundeshwari Oushadhalaya of Gahira in Rauzan of Chittagong.
On April 4 last year, the tribunal indicted the detained accused for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. – UNB
