The day started with a good news: though late, the govt has decided to AMMEND the International Crimes Tribunal Act 1973 to ensure EQUAL RIGHTS for the victim and defendant in appealing against a verdict. The draft also proposes a 60-day timeframe within which the Appellate Division will have to complete the petition.

The draft will be placed at the CABINET meeting tomorrow for approval and is likely to be tabled in parliament thereafter.

If passed by the parliament, the prosecution will be able to challenge a verdict, not only in case of an acquittal.

Hence, the verdict in Abdul Quader Mollah case will have to be reviewed and if the charges are reframed properly and genuine witnesses could testify about Quader Molla’s involved, the “butcher” could be handed down CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

Meanwhile, at the battleground, thousands pouring in including celebreties and national cricketers to express SOLIDARITY over the cause — HANG ALL WAR CRIMINALS.

Dhaka police say they will install close circuit cameras at the place.

SPEAKER URGED TO TAKE MEASURES
On Sunday, five among the bloggers who organised the protest immediately after tge verdict on Feb 5 met speaker Abdul Hamid and submitted a prayer that demanded: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT of Kosai Quader; ammendment of the ICT law; banning Jamaat and the pro-Jamaat organisations; and trying the razakars, al-badrs, al-shams who were released in 1975.

PM’s SOLIDARITY!!!
On behalf of the parliament, Sheikh Hasina has expressed her solidarity with the protests in SHAHBAGH & elsewhere, and thanked the protestors even though her party leaders were slammed. “I’ve heard their every word. I agree with them.” She said she had a wish to go to that place. “I feel like I’d be there!” Hasina affirmed that the law would be ammended. She also advised them to keep studying besides the demostrations! She couldn’t stop weeping while saying, “Now I’ll be able to die with complacence that there’ll be no razakars in the country.”

Before her, several senior Awami League leaders including Sheikh Selim, Tofael Ahmed; Jatiya Party’s Mujibul Huq Chunnu spoke and expressed solidarity with the Shahbagh protest. They demanded that the parliament accept a motion to this effect and send a team of MPs to Shahbagh.

Speaker Hamid accepted the motion and announced solidarity of the parliament with the mass uprising throughout the country for CAPITAL PUNISHMENT of the war criminals.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia is yet to say anything. But her deputy, Mirza Fakhrul, Friday said it was a mass uprising of the people demanding rights, without mentioning about the war criminals. Moudud Saturday said it was stage-managed by the govt and asked the protestors to know the true history. The protestors in the night rediculed his remarks and boycotted him.

ASM Hannan Shah earlier in the day said that the mass sit-in was set up by the intelligence agencies and provided with money and logistics. Sadeq Hossain Khoka said hanging a few won’t do good but a caretaker govt can.

Supreme Court lawyer and BNP leader Khandakar Mahbub Hossain on channel 71 claimed that the protestors also rejected the tribunal like that of the Jamaat lobbiests–UN, HRW, ECONOMIST. Blogger Omi Rahman Pial bashed him well. Zainal Abdin Farroque demanded amendment of the constituion for “caretaker govt” too!

NHRC chairman Mizanur Rahman said the law could be ammended in a week.

Jamaat stalwart barrister Abdur Razzaq said, “It’d look ODD if the govt ammends a law to favour the prosecution!”

SHAHBAGH, after being informed about the parliament’s motion, burst into joy. They also welcomed the PM’s expressing solidarity. But they weren’t satisfied with only “pledges” and decided to continue the movement despite the PM’s suggestion to hold the protest in a specific time…