SC upholds ATM Azhar’s death penalty

The Supreme Court has upheld Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam’s death penalty for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the verdict on Thursday.

Dismissing an appeal filed by Azhar challenging the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict that sentenced him to death, the apex court pronounced the verdict in the morning.

On December 30, 2014, ICT-1 handed down death penalty to Azharul Islam, assistant secretary general of Jamaat, for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.