Condemned convict Abul Kalam's appeal hearing on Aug 31

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday set August 31 for a hearing on whether an appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s former Rukon (member) Abul Kalam Azad, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War, can be heard.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, comprising Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque, Justice SMM Emdadul Hoque and Justice Farah Mahbub, set the date.

Senior lawyer Ehsan A Siddique appeared for Azad, while Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam represented the prosecution.

 After the fall of the Awami League government in the 2024 student-led mass uprising, reports emerged in March 2025 that Azad had returned to Bangladesh. He subsequently applied to the Ministry of Home Affairs under Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking a suspension of his sentence.

In response to the application, the then interim government suspended his sentence on Oct 22, 2025. However, the suspension was granted on the condition that he surrender to the court and file an appeal.

In accordance with the condition, Azad surrendered to the tribunal on January 21 this year. 

Following his surrender, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 accepted it and ordered that the relevant documents be supplied to him for filing the appeal.

Lawyer Mashiul Alam, who represented Azad, said on January 21 that the death sentence had been handed down in 2013 and was suspended by the President for one year following an application, on the condition that Azad surrender and file an appeal.