review plea by Nizami
SC defers hearing
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday deferred the hearing on the petition filed by war crime convict and Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami seeking review of its judgement that upheld his death penalty for committing crimes against humanity. Following a six week time petition filed by Nizami, the four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha said the hearing of the review petition not this week.
Nizami sought six-week time from the apex court for hearing the review petition on the ground of personal difficulties of his principal lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain.
Later, Advocate SM Shahjahan, counsel for Nizami, told reporters that they pleaded for six weeks. The court, however, said that it would not hear the petition this week. The matter is likely to be heard after this week, he added.
On March 30, Nizami filed the review petition with the Supreme Court seeking reconsideration of his death penalty awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal.
Later, in response to a government plea for a quick hearing, the Chamber Judge Justice Mirza Hussain Haider, on the same day, said that the matter will come up at the regular business agenda of the Appellate Division on April 3.
Barrister Najeeb Momen, son of Nizami, said that a 70-page document citing 46 arguments has been submitted to the apex court seeking acquittal order from the apex court for Nizami.
