Dhaka, June 18 -- The Appellate Division on Tuesday started hearing the appeal filed by war criminal ATM Azharul Islam challenging his death sentence.

The hearing took place at the four-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.

A time petition filed by defence counsel Zainul Abedin Tuhin was rejected.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami's Assistant Secretary General Islam to death on December 30, 2014, for crimes against humanity committed in Rangpur during the Liberation War.

He was found guilty of five of the six charges brought against him. Islam moved the top court on January 28 the next year.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from United News of Bangladesh....