DHAKA: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court set March 8 for pronouncing its verdict on appeal of war crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali.

A 5-member full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha, re-fixed the date on Wednesday (February 24) after both the prosecution and defense concluded their arguments.

The other four members include Justice Mirza Hossain Haider, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice Mohammad Bajlur Rahman.

Earlier in the morning, the SC set March 2 for delivering the verdict. Later, it re-fixed the date as the Chief Justice will not be present at town on that day.

On the 7th day of appeal hearing on Wednesday, attorney general Mahbubey Alam completed his argument in the appeal case. In reply, Mir Quasem’s chief counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain placed his final argument.

On February 9, the apex court has started hearing the argument on appeal filed challenging the death penalty for war crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader.

Mir Quasem Ali’s lawyer SM Shahjahan submitted written arguments to the court in the morning.

On January 6, the appellate division fixed February 2 as the date of appeal hearing. Later, the court re-fixed February 9 as the date after an appeal by the defense lawyer.

Earlier on November 2 in 2014, a three-member panel of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan awarded death sentence to the Jamaat leader in the 11th and 12th number of charges.

As per the verdict, Mir Quasem Ali was proved guilty in 10 charges out of 14. The charge numbers are: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,9,10, 11, 12 and 14.

On November 30 of that year, he filed the appeal seeking acquittal from all charges.

The 62-year-old was the chief of Chittagong Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of Pakistani army.

BDST: 1244/1340 HRS, FEB 24, 2016
RS