A special Bangladesh Tribunal set up by Prime Minister Hasina Wajed in 2010 has sentenced to death an influential lawmaker, Salauddin Quadar Chowdhury belonging to the Bangladesh National Party (BNP). He was found guilty of committing crimes against humanity in collusion with Pakistani troops during the 1971 liberation war. He was the first BNP leader to be tried by the court. Chowdhury called the verdict a predetermined judgement. The government of Bangladesh has stepped up security across the country in anticipation of violent protests by Opposition parties. Paramilitary Border Guards have been deployed in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, Chowdhury’s hometown. Chowdhury was one of the two BNP leaders on trial for 1971 war crimes. He was the first to be convicted.
Chowdhury’s death penalty comes two weeks after the Supreme Court sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah, leader of the currently banned Jammat-e-Islam to death for war crimes after the Tribunal had awarded him a life sentence. The Tribunal has already convicted six persons of war crimes and sentenced them to death. Four of them are top officials of the Jammat, a BNP ally. Hardliner Jammat supporters held several protest meetings across the country against the order of the Tribunal and the Supreme Court. The BNP has so far been guarded on the issue. Party chiefs are in talks with the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The situation is critical for the BNP as Bangladesh elections are due in the next four months. It is true that New York based Human Rights Watch is unhappy with the functioning of the Tribunal. But the scales are very much tilted in favour of the Awami League. First, the BNP will be without the support of the Jammat. Second, the Bangla youth have raised their voice against an Islamic Constitution in Dhaka’s Shahbag, which is reminiscent of the Tahrir Square rally.