A tribunal has sentenced Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the now-banned Awami League, and six other senior leaders of the party to death in a case involving crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday afternoon by a three-member judicial panel of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.

Besides Obaidul Quader, the other convicts are Awami League Joint General Secretary A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim; former State Minister for Information Mohammad Ali Arafat; Jubo League President Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil; and Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan. All seven accused, including Quader, are absconding.

On Monday, after presenting the prosecution’s closing arguments, Prosecutor Gazi M.H. Tamim sought the maximum punishment of death for the accused, along with confiscation of their properties.

On the other hand, state-appointed defence lawyers Hasan Imam and Israt Jahan Oni, representing the absconding accused including Obaidul Quader, sought their acquittal from the case.

The tribunal reserved the case for verdict on August 17 after both sides concluded their arguments.

Earlier in January this year, the International Crimes Tribunal framed charges against the accused. Tribunal-2, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, rejected their petitions seeking discharge and formally framed the charges. The tribunal also set February 17 as the next date for opening statements and recording of evidence.

With the framing of charges, the trial formally began.

Earlier, on December 18, the prosecution submitted formal charges against the accused, which were subsequently taken into cognizance by the tribunal. Following the issuance of arrest warrants, law enforcement agencies were supposed to arrest and produce the accused before the tribunal on December 29, but failed to locate them at their addresses. The tribunal then ordered the publication of notices in newspapers on December 30, asking the accused to appear before it.