Verdict any day on 5 Kishoreganj war crimes accused

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver the verdict any day in a case against five Kishoreganj men, accused of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque with members Justice Md Shahinur Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi yesterday kept the case waiting for judgement after the prosecution and defence counsels completed their arguments.

The accused are Gazi Abdul Mannan, 88, alleged commander of a Razakar camp, Nasiruddin Ahmed, 62, his brother Shamsuddin Ahmed, 60, Hafiz Uddin, 66, and Azharul Islam, 60, all alleged Razakar members from Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj.

They are facing seven charges, including those of mass killing, murder, confinement, torture, arson and looting. Of the five, only Shamsuddin is now in jail, while the rest are on the run. The fugitives were tried in absentia.

Wrapping up their submission, Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman said the prosecution had been able to prove all seven charges "beyond any reasonable doubt" and sought the capital punishment for the accused.

Defence counsels Masud Rana and Abdus Shukur Khan prayed for the acquittal of their clients, saying the prosecution had failed to prove any of the charges.

The prosecution charged the five on May 10 last year and the tribunal indicted them on October 12 the same year.

The charges are killing of eight people and injuring of another of four villages on November 12; killing of Miah Hossain of Aila village on November 13; abduction and killing of Abdur Gafur of Kalatali on September 26; abduction, torture and killing of Fazlur Rahman of Atkapara on August 23; killing of Paresh Chandra Sarkar of Ramnagar on September 7; torture and killing of Abu Bakar Siddique and Rapali Miah on August 25, and arson and vandalism in Atkapara on September 15.

The prosecution produced 25 witnesses, including the investigation officer, but the defence declined to produce anyone.