Bangladesh, Aug. 17 -- The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has set Aug 31 for a hearing on whether an appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami's former Rukon (member) Abul Kalam Azad, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War, can be heard.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, comprising Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque, Justice SMM Emdadul Hoque and Justice Farah Mahbub, passed the order on Monday.

Under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, an appeal against a tribunal verdict can be filed within 30 days. However, Azad was absconding abroad when the verdict was delivered on Jan 21, 2013, and therefore could not appeal at the time.

His case produced the first verdict of...