A Bangladesh court on Tuesday sentenced a leading political leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury to death. He is the first lawmaker, who was convicted of the war crimes committed during the 1971 war.

Salauddin, 64, a leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was found guilty by the International Crimes Tribunal of nine charges such as genocide, killing and religious persecution related to the war of Independence.

The verdict could trigger fresh violence in the southern port city of Chittagong, represented by Salauddin, by his supporters.

Salauddin, the son of a former speaker of Pakistan’s parliament, was described as a cold-blooded killer by the prosecutors in the court, who killed more than 200 Hindus in Bangladesh.

The court has convicted seven people including 6 Islamists of war crimes so far since January this year.