13 Bagerhat men face 7 charges

Prosecution yesterday pressed seven specific charges against 13 Bagerhat men who allegedly committed crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

Prosecutors -- Mukhlesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yesmin Khan Munni -- submitted the charges, witnesses' statements and other documents to the International Crimes Tribunal-1 through its registrar office.

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The 13 were “involved” in the killing of 21 people, raping of four women, abduction, confinement and torture of two people, and looting and arson attack on some 50 houses at Kachua and Morrelganj upazilas in Bagerhat, according to the charges.

They are Khan Ashraf Ali, 65; Khan Akram Hossain, 60; Sultan Ali Khan, 68; Rustam Ali Mollah, 70; Edris Ali Mollah, 64; Moksed Ali Didar, 83; Sheikh Mohammad Ukil Uddin, 62; Sheikh Edris Ali, 61; Rafiqul Islam alias Babul, 64; Moniruzzaman Hawlader, 69; Hashem Ali Sheikh, 79; Azhar Ali Sikder, 64; and Mokbul Mollah, 79.

Of them, Akram, Edris Ali Mollah, Ukil Uddin and Mokbul Mollah are in custody while the rest are yet to be arrested, the prosecution said.

All the accused are from Kachua, Morrelganj and Sadar upazilas of Bagerhat, and they were involved with Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of the Pakistan occupation army, according to the investigators. 

On January 22 this year, tribunal's investigation agency completed its probe into the case and said to have found evidence against 14 Bagerhat men, including the 13, over their alleged involvement in wartime crimes.

But the prosecution yesterday pressed charges against 13 people as another accused Abdul Ali Mollah, 65, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on March 27, Prosecutor Sabina Yesmin told The Daily Star.

The seven charges are: killing 10 people, injuring two others and looting 40-50 houses in Capri and Teligati villages; murdering four people in Hajrakhali and Boikhali villages; killing two unarmed freedom fighters in Dhuligati village; murdering four people in Bilkul and Bichat villages; killing a man in Bilkul village; and raping four women for over a month.