Dhaka, 26 February (HS): The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has allowed the top leader of the fundamentalist organization Jamaat-e-Islami, ATM Azharul Islam, to appeal against his death sentence. A five-member appellate bench headed by the Chief Justice issued this order today. It will be heard on April 22.

Azharul was sentenced to death on 30 December 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal, which hears war crimes. Islam, former assistant general secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami, supported the Pakistani army during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. He was accused of killing more than 1400 people, raping many women, kidnapping and torturing them.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddiqui represented Azhar in the Supreme Court. Senior advocate SM Shahjahan, advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir and barrister Najib Momen assisted Siddiqui. Earlier, the first day's hearing on Azhar's review petition against the death sentence was completed on Tuesday. Attorney General MD Asaduzzaman presented the case in the court in the presence of International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and defense lawyer Shishir Manir.

Earlier on October 23, 2019, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld Azhar's death sentence. After some time, Azhar filed a review petition against this decision. It is noteworthy that after the Supreme Court's decision in this case, Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami, Abdul Kader Molla, Mohammad Kamruzzaman, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Mir Qasim Ali and BNP leader Salauddin Kader Chowdhury have been hanged.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar