ICT orders probe report on war crimes by Sept 30

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday directed the prosecution to submit an investigation report into the allegations against two war crimes suspects of Shariatpur by September 30.  

The tribunal fixed the date after Prosecutor Hrishikesh Saha submitted a progress report of the investigation and sought more time to complete it.

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The suspects are: Suliman Mollah and Idris Ali Sardar of Shariatpur. Of the two, Suliman was arrested hours after the tribunal issued an arrest warrant against the two on June 14, while Idris is still on the run.

Meanwhile, the court granted a prosecution's petition allowing the investigation officer of the case to interrogate Suliman at a safe home for one day.

According to the prosecution, Suliman was a leader of Nezam-e-Islami, an anti-liberation political party, in Shariatpur. As a candidate from the party he contested in the election in 1970, but was defeated.

He was an alleged organiser of Shariatpur Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini, two anti-liberation organisations in 1971, while Idris was an alleged member of Razakar Bahini in the district.

Meanwhile, the prosecution on Wednesday formally informed the tribunal about the death of Abdul Latif Talukdar, an alleged Razakar from Bagerhat, who was facing trial at the tribunal.

The tribunal fixed August 5 for further hearing on the matter.

Latif died of old age complications on Tuesday.

The court usually declares a case closed if the accused dies during trial but in this case, Latif was one of three accused and the tribunal kept the verdict waiting after completion of all proceedings.