The Appellate Division’s decision to uphold BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury’s death penalty for war crimes has shocked the party, says a formal party statement.

In a press briefing organised to express BNP’s formal reaction to the verdict, it was claimed that ‘Salahuddin was victim of political revenge’.

‘We are frustrated, surprised, and aggrieved by the verdict,’ said the party’s international affair secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon at the press conference held at Nayapaltan BNP central office on Wednesday.

Earlier BNP Jamiruddin Sircar reacted to the verdict in the same voice saying that it was rather frustrating, and that a review petition could squash it.

Jamiruddin, a former speaker to the Parliament, said to BBC Bangla, ‘We are sorry for it. Salahuddin Qauader Chowdhury has always told the truth.’

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, dismissed Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury’s appeal against a death sentence handed down by a controversial war crimes tribunal two years ago.

The three other members of the bench are Justice Nazmul Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmood Hossain, and Justice Hasan Foyez Siddique.

In a brief judgement Sinha said the court ‘maintained’ the death sentence for genocide and torture against 66-year-old Chowdhury, who is a senior member of the main opposition BNP.

Chowdhury was originally found guilty by the International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic war crimes court, of nine charges including genocide, torture and rape.

Earlier, on 29 October 2013 condemned convict Salauddin filed an appeal challenging the death penalty handed down against him by the International Crimes Tribunal 1.