Produce Satkhira war crimes suspect on August 25

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday directed the prison authorities to produce Satkhira war crimes suspect Abdul Khaleq Mandol before it on August 25.

The two-member tribunal led by Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah gave the directive following a prosecution's petition seeking an order to show him arrested in a war crimes case.

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Khaleq, an alleged Razakar of Satkhira and the incumbent Ameer of Satkhira Jamaat-e-Islami, is now in Satkhira jail in three criminal cases, Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman told The Daily Star.

Chaman said investigation against Khaleq started on June 16 this year that had "found evidence" of his involvement in crimes, including murder and rape, committed during the Liberation War in 1971.

The prosecution sought to show him arrested in the war crimes case to keep him jail for fair investigation, said Chaman.

Abdur Razzaque Khan, investigation officer of the case, told The Daily Star that Khaleq was involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, before the war and he joined Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army in 1971.

Razzaque said Khaleq was one of the "notorious Razakars" in Satkhira and he already had found evidence of his involvement in the crimes committed in 1971.