Delwar Hossain Sayedee and four other leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami party are jailed pending investigation of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan.
The hearing Wednesday had been to indict Sayedee after the investigation in his case was complete. Instead, head tribunal judge Nizamul Huq set a Sept. 4 hearing after the defense sought time, accusing the prosecution of noncooperation.
Sayedee faces charges of killing more than 50 people, torching villages, rape, looting and forcibly converting Hindus to Islam. The prosecution said Sayedee led a team in Pirojpur district where about 30,000 people were killed and dumped in 12 mass graves.
Sayedee has denied the allegations against him.
He would be the first of five party leaders to be indicted if the tribunal goes ahead with the case. All five, including the party chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, were arrested last year on similar charges of crimes against humanity.
The tribunal has already rejected bail to Sayedee for a sixth time upon the prosecution's argument that he could influence the investigation and trial proceedings if he was out. Tajul Islam, a defense lawyer, said the tribunal approved their appeal seeking more time after the prosecution said they had no objection.
But before that the defense wrangled with the judges and threatened to boycott the proceedings if the indictment move by the prosecution was not halted and more time not allowed.
"We told the tribunal that, if we are not allowed more time and things go this way, justice will not be delivered," he told reporters. Jamaat-e-Islami party says the charges against its leaders are politically motivated. It was a major partner in a 2001-2006 government headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the longtime political rival of the current premier. Two leaders of Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party face similar charges. The government of Prime Minister Hasina Wajed set up the tribunal in March 2010 and amended an act to prosecute people accused of collaborating with Pakistan as it tried to prevent Bangladesh from breaking away.
Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed an estimated 3 million people, raped about 200,000 women and forced millions to flee their homes.
The move by the government has, however, drawn international attention with calls for an internationally accepted trial. The New York-based Human Rights Watch last month praised Bangladesh for amending a 1973 act outlining prosecution and punishment for people accused of genocide and other crimes under international law, but urged it to do more.
The group said more changes need to be made, including that an accused should be able to question the impartiality of the tribunal, which current law prohibits.
It also said changes were needed regarding the enumeration of crimes to ensure that the definitions of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide conform with international standards.
