Quasem's counsel ends arguments

The counsel of war criminal Mir Quasem Ali yesterday concluded arguments on an appeal filed with the Supreme Court by Quasem challenging his death penalty for crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

During yesterday's hearing, SM Shahjahan, a lawyer of Mir Quasem, told the Appellate Division that the prosecution witnesses' statements were not credible as they did not corroborate each other.

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When Quasem was on trial, the prosecution witnesses had given their statements to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 on charges brought against him. But most of them did not give the same statements to the investigation officer of the case, Shahjahan told the court.

He also prayed to the court for his client's acquittal.

After concluding yesterday's hearing, the five-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed February 23 to hear legal aspects from the attorney general.

The defence counsel could give its rejoinder to the prosecution arguments once the attorney general's argument was completed, the court said.

The SC started hearing the appeal on February 9 this year.

On November 2, 2014, the ICT-2 sentenced Quasem to death after finding him guilty on 10 charges of abduction, and confining and torturing people during the war.

Around four weeks later, he filed an appeal with the SC, challenging the tribunal's verdict.