Awami League (AL) joint secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif on Monday expressed satisfaction over the ICT verdict in the case against Jamaat leader Ghulam Azam. He said the ruling party was happy with the judgment. The Jamaat leader has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. “We’re satisfied with the verdict. The nation wanted capital punishment for Ghulam Azam. But considering his age, he was given 90 years’ imprisonment,” said the AL leader.
Hanif was addressing a news conference at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi.
He urged the people not to be provoked into anarchy. “I don’t know whether any war criminal was punished in such a manner. I don’t know if the prosecution would appeal against the judgment to the higher court. It would be decided by lawyers,” he added.
He also said that the verdict of the war crime cases would be executed within the tenure of the present government.
Law minister Shafique Ahmed and state minister for law Quamrul Islam also expressed satisfaction with the verdict.
“The tribunal has sentenced Azam to 90 years in prison. It maintained transparency throughout the trial process. The verdict has taken account of the Jamaat leader’s old age, though he deserves the highest punishment,” said Shafique Ahmed.
“The whole nation wanted the death penalty for Azam. But I think the verdict fulfils people’s expectations,” he added.
“I don’t know anything about any meeting or compromise between the Awami League and the Jamaat-e-Islami. It was one of the election pledges of the Awami League to hold the trial of war criminals. It’s being implemented now,” said the law minister, replying to a query.
“There isn’t any scope to raise questions regarding the verdict. It’ll remain as an example before the world as the trial maintained international standards while following the local law,” he added.
Asked whether the government would appeal against the verdict, the law minister said: “All depends on the prosecution team and the attorney-general.”
About the execution of the verdicts delivered so far in the war crimes cases, he said whoever comes to power in the next general election should also execute the tribunal’s orders.
Quamrul Islam said the verdict reflected the “expectation of the nation”. “Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years’ imprisonment, considering his age. There shouldn’t be any reason for dissatisfaction.
Some of the verdicts will come into effect within the tenure of the present government,” he added.
Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad sharply reacted to the activities of the Ganajagaran Mancha following the verdict.
“Ghulam Azam was not given the capital punishment. A 96-year-old person was awarded 90 years’ imprisonment. It’s fine that he was not given the highest punishment. But do you know why
he had to face the tribunal? That was only because of the Shahbagh Square movement. We’re again hearing the demand for hanging.
I want to tell you that the country’s politics has become complicated, which must not be so,” he said at the end of the JP council meeting of Rangpur Division.
He further said that Parliament has become ineffective. It has become a place for delivering abusive language, he added.
-With The Independent input
