DHAKA: BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was sentenced to death for his involvement in crimes against humanity during liberation war in 1971.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 found BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury guilty of nine charges out of total allegations of war crimes including genocide and killings.

Out of total 23 charges, SQ Chowdhury was, however, acquitted of eight charges while the prosecutions failed to prove six other allegations.

ICT read out the verdict and made the observation on Tuesday.

Nine charges in which the BNP leader was found guilty are - Charge No.2- Maddhaya Gohira Genocide; Charge No.3- Murder of Nutun Chandra Singha; Charge No.4- Genocide at Jogotmollopara; Charge No.5- Murder of Nepal Chandra and three others; and Charge No.6- Genocide at Unsuttarpara; Charge No.7- Killing of Satish Chandra Palit; Charge No.8- Killing of Mozaffar and his son; Charge No. 17- abduction and torture of Nizamuddin Ahmed; and Charge No. 18- abduction and torture of Saleh Uddin.

He was awarded death penalty for charges No. 3, 5, 6 and 8.

Earlier in the day, ICT-1 Justices ATM Fazle Kabir, Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Anwarul Haque read out the verdict.

On December 16, 2010, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury MP was arrested from a Banani residence in the city, a day after investigators petitioned the International Crimes Tribunal for issuing arrest warrant against him on war crimes charges.

Later, police showed arrested him for crime against humanity during liberation war in 1971.

BDST: 1330 HRS, OCT 01, 2013
AKA/BSK