Five Moulvibazar men charged with war crimes
International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday framed five charges against five Moulvibazar men for allegedly committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque with members Justice Md Shahinur Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi fixed January 15 to begin the trial with the prosecution's opening statement.
Of Moulvibazar's Rajnagar upazila, Yunus Ahmed, 71, and Ujer Ahmed Chowdhury, 63, are in jail while the rest, Samsul Hossain Tarafder, 65, Nesar Ali, 75, and Mobarak Mia, 66, are on the run.
Prosecutors pressed the five charges on May 26. They allege Samsul was an Al-Badr commander while the rest Razakar Bahini members.
The charges include the abduction, torture and killing of one Danu Mia; looting and torching of three houses; confinement of three people; abduction, confinement and torture of another three and looting and torching of the houses of one Harendra Bhattacharya between November 22 and December 5.
It also includes killing of one Jamini Mohan Dev and abduction, confinement and torture of three people on November 25 and abduction of four people including one Rasraj Bhattacharya on November 27.
The remaining are over the abduction and torture of four people and killing of two between November 29 and December 8; and an act of genocide through the killing of 14 Hindus on December 29.
Afterwards, the tribunal fixed January 24 to decide whether to frame charges against six Netrakona men for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War.
Prosecutor Mukhlesur Rahman Badal and defence counsel Gazi MH Tamim completed placing submissions on the charges.
The accused are Sheikh Abdul Majid alias Majid Maulana, 66, Abdul Khaleque Talukder, 67, Kabir Khan, 70, Salam Begh, 68, Nuruddin alias Raddin, 70, and Abdur Rahman, 70. Only Abdur Rahman is in jail.
Prosecutors pressed seven charges on May 22 against the Razakar suspects of the district's Purbadhala upazila.
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