Hearing on Abul Kalam Azad's appeal against death sentence postponed

The Appellate Division has adjourned the hearing on whether the appeal of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, will be admitted .

The four-member bench led by Justice Md Rezaul Haque passed the order on Tuesday, September 8, though the hearing was originally scheduled for today . Senior lawyer Ehsan A Siddique appeared for the petitioner, while Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam represented the state . During the proceedings, the Appellate Division cautioned the Chief Prosecutor against commenting on the sub judice matter .

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam later said the Appellate Division fixed a date for the hearing after the vacation. "The Appellate Division will go on vacation from September 16 to October 24. After the court reopens, the hearing has been scheduled for four weeks later," he said .

The International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced Abul Kalam Azad to death on January 21, 2013, while he was absconding . This was the first verdict in a crimes against humanity case, delivered 41 years after Bangladesh's independence . He had gained prominence through Islamic programmes on various private television channels and was accused of crimes against humanity in several areas of Faridpur during the Liberation War .

After remaining at large for a long time, Azad surrendered to the International Crimes Tribunal on January 21 this year . Prior to his surrender, the President had suspended his sentence for one year on condition of filing an appeal . Following this, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification to this effect on October 22, 2025 . He surrendered accordingly, and the tribunal directed that he be provided with the necessary documents for filing the appeal.