Sherpur paddy field cleared for burial

It was a paddy field where green plants undulated in the air only a few days back. But the plants are all gone now and the plot has been prepared as a family graveyard to fulfill Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman's last wish to be buried there.

Kamaruzzaman's family started the process of turning the field into a graveyard on April 6, the day rumoured to be the date of his execution. The plot is adjacent to an orphanage set up by the Jamaat leader who was sentenced to death for crimes committed against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

As per his last wish, the war crimes convict will be buried on the premises of Bazitkhila-Kumri Orphanage beside his village home in Kumri Mudipara.

"Preparations for my brother's burial on the orphanage premise have been made as per his last wish," said Md Kafil Uddin, Kamaruzzaman's brother.

To contain any untoward incident following Kamaruzzaman's burial, the government has deployed four platoons of BGB men, four platoons of RAB personnel and riot police at key points in Sherpur district.

Sherpur Police Super Mehedul Karim told reporters yesterday that none other than journalists would be allowed to enter the area during the burial of Kamaruzzaman.

He also said only religious rituals would be allowed and police deployed at the grave after the burial.

Local freedom fighters, responding to the request of the district administration, went back on their earlier decision to resist the Jamaat leader's burial in the district.

The freedom fighters have decided to bring out a victory procession in the town today.

On May 9 last year, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced Kamaruzzaman, one of the key organisers of the Al-Badr force, to death.

The Jamaat's senior assistant secretary general was found guilty of mass killing, murder, abduction, torture, rape, persecution, and abetment of torture in greater Mymensingh.

He submitted his appeal to the SC on June 6 last year challenging the tribunal judgment and seeking acquittal on the charges brought against him.

The 62-year-old Jamaat leader was arrested on July 13, 2010, at the Supreme Court gate and later shown arrested in the crimes against humanity case.