ICT hands down death penalty to Sayedee
DHAKA : The International
Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 on Thursday handed down death
penalty to Jamaat-e- Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee
on charges of "crimes against humanity" during the 1971
Liberation War siding with Pakistani forces, reports BSS.
"He will be hanged by neck till he is dead," pronounced Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, chairman of the three-member tribunal while Sayedee listened to it as he was brought to the dock under heavy security escorts from Dhaka Central Jail.
The 120-page verdict said the tribunal found valid eight of the 20 charges against the Islamist leader which included mass killing, arson, lootings and forcefully converting non-Muslims to Islam of which two of the charges earned him the highest capital punishment. The two charges included crimes like persecutions, abductions and murders.
"He will be hanged by neck till he is dead," pronounced Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, chairman of the three-member tribunal while Sayedee listened to it as he was brought to the dock under heavy security escorts from Dhaka Central Jail.
The 120-page verdict said the tribunal found valid eight of the 20 charges against the Islamist leader which included mass killing, arson, lootings and forcefully converting non-Muslims to Islam of which two of the charges earned him the highest capital punishment. The two charges included crimes like persecutions, abductions and murders.
 |
| Delawar Hossain Sayed |
All the three members of the judges panel took part in
reading out the verdict one after another while the
tribunal chair pronounced the operative part of the
judgment.
But ahead of delivery of the verdict, Kabir gave an introductory statement saying the tribunal did not try Sayedee "who is a central Jamaat-e-Islami(JI) leader, who was elected twice to the parliament, who is an Islamic orator having many followers".
"Rather we are trying Delwar Hossain Sayedee who was a 30- year old young man during the Liberation War who was called Delu by fellow villagers and was an active member of the first Peace Committee and being proficient in Urdu earned a goodwill among the Pakistani occupation forces," Kabir said.
This was the third verdict delivered by the tribunal since the trial of major war crimes suspects, mostly belonging to JI, began three years ago in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League's election pledge. But this was the first case which was initiated by the tribunal.
Witnesses said soon after the judgment security officials whisked Sayedee away from the dock while tribunal officials said he would later be brought to the jail where he would await the legal process ahead of the execution of the verdict. The verdict came as a security blanket covered the capital Dhaka and other major cities as JI called a nationwide shutdown coinciding with the date of the judgment while thousands of youngsters enforced a street vigil demanding capital punishment for the war criminals.
Sayedee, 73, Nayeb-e-Amir of JI, was arrested on June 29, 2010 while he was indicted on October 3, for 20 specific charges of crimes against humanity including looting, killing, arson, rape and forcefully converting non-Muslims to Islam.
A total of 27 seven witnesses testified against him during the trial while Sayedee's counsels brought 17 people to speak to defend their client and hearing the testimonies and arguments the tribunal announced on December 6, 2012 it could deliver the verdict anytime. The authorities earlier called out paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in aide of police and elite anti- crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to enforce a stringent security vigil.
Most schools were shut but life was normal in the capital with transports plying in large number while offices and businesses were open defying the stoppage call while transport owners association earlier said they would operate the public transports despite the hartal call.
Witnesses said JI activists tried to make visible their presence on the street exploding homemade bombs and staging street marches at different parts of the capital when police chased them with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters and detained several of them from the spots. But thousands of youths at Shahbagh joined by people cutting across their social spheres joined the celebrations as soon as the verdict was delivered.
But ahead of delivery of the verdict, Kabir gave an introductory statement saying the tribunal did not try Sayedee "who is a central Jamaat-e-Islami(JI) leader, who was elected twice to the parliament, who is an Islamic orator having many followers".
"Rather we are trying Delwar Hossain Sayedee who was a 30- year old young man during the Liberation War who was called Delu by fellow villagers and was an active member of the first Peace Committee and being proficient in Urdu earned a goodwill among the Pakistani occupation forces," Kabir said.
This was the third verdict delivered by the tribunal since the trial of major war crimes suspects, mostly belonging to JI, began three years ago in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League's election pledge. But this was the first case which was initiated by the tribunal.
Witnesses said soon after the judgment security officials whisked Sayedee away from the dock while tribunal officials said he would later be brought to the jail where he would await the legal process ahead of the execution of the verdict. The verdict came as a security blanket covered the capital Dhaka and other major cities as JI called a nationwide shutdown coinciding with the date of the judgment while thousands of youngsters enforced a street vigil demanding capital punishment for the war criminals.
Sayedee, 73, Nayeb-e-Amir of JI, was arrested on June 29, 2010 while he was indicted on October 3, for 20 specific charges of crimes against humanity including looting, killing, arson, rape and forcefully converting non-Muslims to Islam.
A total of 27 seven witnesses testified against him during the trial while Sayedee's counsels brought 17 people to speak to defend their client and hearing the testimonies and arguments the tribunal announced on December 6, 2012 it could deliver the verdict anytime. The authorities earlier called out paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in aide of police and elite anti- crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to enforce a stringent security vigil.
Most schools were shut but life was normal in the capital with transports plying in large number while offices and businesses were open defying the stoppage call while transport owners association earlier said they would operate the public transports despite the hartal call.
Witnesses said JI activists tried to make visible their presence on the street exploding homemade bombs and staging street marches at different parts of the capital when police chased them with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters and detained several of them from the spots. But thousands of youths at Shahbagh joined by people cutting across their social spheres joined the celebrations as soon as the verdict was delivered.
Sayedee
VerdictCountrywide violence kills 34
Dhaka : The countrywide daylong hartal enforced by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday was marked by violent clashes that left at least 34 people dead at different parts of the country.
Jamaat enforced the lockdown from 6am anticipating that the International Crimes Tribunal-1 may give an 'unjust punishment' to its nayeb-e-ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee.
However, the ICT-1 sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayedee to death for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. The hartal violence took a turn for the worse following the verdict of the tribunal. According to reports reaching the UNB desk from across the country, six people were killed in Rangpur while five each in Thakurgaon, Satkhira and Gaibandha, three in Noakhali, two each in Sirajganj, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Moulvibazar and one each in Dinajpur and Natore districts.
Besides, at least 118 people were arrested and 200 people, including cops, injured in clashes between police and pro-hartal activists across the country.
Police arrested over 100 people from Panchbibi, Joypurhat, Sherpur, Naogaon, Kushtia, Khulna, Laxmipur, Barisal, Bogra and Chittagong districts while 18 from the capital during the hartal hours.
About 150 people, including cops, were injured in separate clashes between Jamaat-Shibir activists and police in Natore, Bogra, Naogaon, Laxmipur, Bagerhat, Joypurhat, Barisal, Satkhira and Cox's Bazar districts. In the capital, only a handful of the pickets were seen on the streets amid tight security measures as some police, Rab and BGB personnel were guarding the city streets.
Educational institutions, shops were remained close, but a good number of motorised vehicles were seen plying the streets in the capital. Law enforcing agencies were on high alert in all important points to avert any untoward situation.
A group of activists of Jamaat and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out a procession in Dholaipar area and police dispersed it by firing rubber bullets and charging baton around 6.00am. At 7:30am, a group of 20-25 hartal supporters brought out a procession at CNG Colony on the Indira Road at Farm Gate and police and Rapid Action Battalion members fired rubber bullets and charged baton to disperse them. An assistant sub-inspector of police was also injured in an attack by pickets. Later, police and Rab arrested 12 people from the spot. Hartal supporters brought out a procession at Aftabgate and police obstructed it, triggering a fierce clash between them at 11:35am, Pickets hurled brick chips at police and, in retaliation, they opened fire and charged baton, leaving one injured with bullet, who was later admitted to DMCH in a critical condition.
In Natore, a group of pickets vandalised five vehicles on the Natore-Pabna Highway at Kadimchilan in the morning. Police arrested seven activists of Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir while picketing in Ghudhra area of the district.
In Comilla, hartal supporters set three vehicles ablaze in Amtali of Sadar upazila and Beltali and Batabaria of the city on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
In Sirajganj, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between police and Jamaat-BNP activists at Nalka in Raiganj upazila on Thursday morning. Police also fired 21 rounds of teargas shells and 46 rounds of rubber bullet when pickets threw brick chips on police, which injured 15 people of Jamaat-BNP.
Pickets damaged a truck and a CNG- run auto-rickshaw at Rahmatganj of the district town. Police arrested two BNP activists from Mirpur Mohalla of the town when BNP men vandalised two trucks.
In Sylhet, hartal supporters vandalised 10 CNG-run auto-rickshaws and five rickshaws on different roads of the city at about 9:00am.
In Bagerhat, at least 11 people, including a police constable Saiful Islam, were injured in a clash between Jamaat-Shibir activists and police at Shialkati area in Kachua upazila. Besides, after hearing the verdict of party nayeb-e-ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee, the activists of Jamaat-Shibir blockade Bagerhat-Khulna highway at Mehegonitala in sadar upazila at about 2:30 pm. They also burnt tyres on the road.
In Chittagong, the activists of Jamaat-Shibir set fire to Satkania fire station protesting the verdict against Sayedee.
In another incident, the Jamaat-Shibir men torched two trucks at Kumia in Sitakunda upazila.
In Khulna, the activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out a procession in protest of the ICT-1 verdict against Delwar Hossain Sayedee at about 1:30 pm. They also damaged 12 auto-rickshaws and microbuses in Natun Rasta area in the city. Police arrested 10 people from the spot.
People
get proper justice through this verdict: 14-partyDHAKA : The ruling Awami League-led 14- party alliance on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the historic verdict given by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 against Delawar Hossain Sayedee on charges of committing "crimes against humanity" during the 1971 Liberation War, reports BSS.
In an immediate reaction after the verdict awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1, the leaders of the alliance said people of the country have got justice through the verdict handed down to Sayedee.
The ICT-1 handed down death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islam leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee on charges of committing "crimes against humanity" collaborating with the Pakistani occupation troops during the Liberation War in 1971.
Addressing a press conference at Awami League President's Dhanmondi office soon after the verdict, Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said, "On behalf of the 14-party alliance, we have an expectation on getting fair justice and the people finally got the justice."
Awami League joint general secretary Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, general secretary of Gonotantri Party Nurur Rahman Selim, Samyabadi Dal leader Abu Hamed Shahabuddin, Workers Party politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha, MP, JSD presidium member Shirin Akhtar, National Awami Party (NAP) leader Ismail Hossain, Awami League organising secretaries Ahmad Hossain and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, MP, information and research affairs secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain, deputy press and publication secretary Asim Kumar Ukil and deputy office secretary Mrinal Kanti Das were present.
Enthusiastic
people celebrate the verdictDHAKA : Thousands of enthusiastic youngsters who were at Shahbagh Square since February 5 demanding capital punishment of war criminals on Thursday celebrated the historic verdict given by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 to Jamaat-e-Islam leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee on charges of "crimes against humanity" during the 1971 Liberation War, reports BSS.
Witnesses said immediate after the judgment given by the ICT- 1 of death penalty to Sayedee, participants from different ages celebrated and brought out a procession from Shahbagh Square towards the Central Shaheed Minar at about 2pm.
Convener of Bloggers and Online Activist Network (BOAN) Dr Imran H Sarkar congratulated all the participants for facilitating the ICT for pronouncing the historic judgment to war criminals.
Urging the youngsters as well as people of all walks of life for joining the celebration on the streets, he called upon all to resist Jamaat-Shibir enforced countrywide hartal.
Imran said," This victory is yours 'people' and we will continue our programme till banning Jamaat's politics in the country."
Hundreds of youngsters, bloggers and members of different student bodies chanted their slogans expressing their fresh vow that they would not leave the streets until the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) executes the war criminals, witnesses said.
The youngsters staged a street march parading Teachers' Students Centre (TSC) protesting the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) enforced hartal and demanding 'death penalties' to the war criminals and a ban on Jamaat-Shibir politics. Later they returned to Shahbagh Square. Meanwhile, enthusiastic city dwellers celebrated the historic verdict and distributed sweets among their neighbours.
Earlier, Shahbagh Square turned into a human sea at about 10.50am and started sit-in programme as part of the pre-announced plan on Thursday.
Dhaka : Indian President
Pranab Mukherjee arrives in Dhaka on Sunday on a three-day
state visit, seen as a testimony to the existing excellent
cooperative partnership between the two neighbours,
reports UNB.
Officials said that the government may take the opportunity of Pranab' s visit to discuss the two most important outstanding issues-Teesta water-sharing agreement and the Land Border Agreement with exchange of enclaves and adverse possession of territories.
The process to sign the Teesta water-sharing deal remained stalled since September 2011 because of opposition by the West Bengal Chief Minister. Mukherjee is the first Bengali to become the President of India since its independence in 1947 and this will be the President's first visit abroad after his assumption of office as President.
His last visit as finance minister was on May 5-6 of last year to attend the concluding session of Rabindranath Tagore's 150th birth anniversary celebration.
Officials said that the government may take the opportunity of Pranab' s visit to discuss the two most important outstanding issues-Teesta water-sharing agreement and the Land Border Agreement with exchange of enclaves and adverse possession of territories.
The process to sign the Teesta water-sharing deal remained stalled since September 2011 because of opposition by the West Bengal Chief Minister. Mukherjee is the first Bengali to become the President of India since its independence in 1947 and this will be the President's first visit abroad after his assumption of office as President.
His last visit as finance minister was on May 5-6 of last year to attend the concluding session of Rabindranath Tagore's 150th birth anniversary celebration.
0 comments
Write Down Your Responses