4 petitions filed for SQ Chowdhury
The drama over Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's defence lawyers at the International Crimes Tribunal continued yesterday when three lawyers submitted four petitions to the court on Salauddin's behalf.
The BNP leader, accused of war crimes during the Liberation War in 1971, had initially appointed some defence lawyers. He then cancelled their appointments and told the tribunal that he would defend himself at the tribunal. The tribunal, however, appointed M Badiuzzaman, a Supreme Court lawyer, to defend him on December 12.
Yesterday, Badiuzzaman filed a petition before the tribunal claiming that the documents provided by the prosecution have nothing to substantiate evidence against “his client” and Salauddin should be discharged.
However, lawyers Reazul Karim and HM Ahsanul Karim Hena, “on behalf of Salauddin”, submitted three petitions to the tribunal yesterday.
One of the petitions was for the cancellation of Badiuzzaman's appointment as Salauddin's lawyer. The other two were for suspending proceedings against Salauddin and seeking relevant documents of the case from the prosecution.
Rezaul Karim told The Daily Star that they submitted the petitions with Salauddin Qader Chowdhury's permission.
However, Badiuzzaman told The Daily Star that he had examined the formal charges and documents and found that there is no substantial evidence for trying “his client”. He said he submitted the petition through its registrar's office without the permission of the BNP leader, who faces 24 counts of war crimes charges.
“I went to Kashimpur jail on January 7 to meet and consult with Salauddin about the case proceedings against him, but he [Salauddin] refused to meet me. I submitted the petition to the tribunal for discharging Salauddin from the charges, as it is my duty to defend him,” said the state defence lawyer.
He said the tribunal may hear the discharge petition on January 15, as it is scheduled to hear the charge framing against the BNP leader on that day.
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