Cox's Bazar war crimes suspect gets conditional bail

International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday granted conditional bail to a war crimes accused hailing from Cox's Bazar's Maheshkhali taking into consideration his health and age.

As part of the conditions, Md Rashid Miah, also a former BNP lawmaker, has to stay in a relative's Mirpur residence and cannot leave Dhaka without the tribunal's permission.

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Moreover, the tribunal made one of his lawyers, Rezaul Karim, and Rashid's grandson, Kamramul Haque, liable for the bail amounting to Tk 50,000.

This is the third time a war crimes accused has been granted bail. War criminals Abdul Alim and Syed Mohammad Qaisar were granted bail by the same court.

The two-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and with member Justice Md Shahinur Islam, asked the prosecution to submit a probe report, if any, by October 11 over allegations that 19 persons, including Rashid, were involved in crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

Police so far arrested seven of the accused, one of whom later died, while the remaining 12 are absconding, according to the prosecution.

Police arrested Rashid and another accused, Salamat Ullah Khan, in Cox's Bazar on March 1 after the tribunal issued a warrant that day. 

Rashid's lawyer SM Shahjahan sought the bail saying he was 86 years old and had been facing several health complications since the arrest.

Otherwise, the jail authorities should at least be directed to send him to the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, he added.

Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta vehemently opposed, saying the release might influence the investigation.