ICT fixes May 3 for pressing charges
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday directed the prosecution to press charges on May 3 against four Netrakona men who allegedly committed crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.
Yesterday was fixed for pressing charges but Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta sought one month time for preparation and the three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque allowed his prayer.
The accused are Khalilur Rahman, 72; his brother Azizur Rahman, 65; Ashak Ali, 82; and Shahnewaz, 88, of Durgapur upazila. Of them, Khalilur is on the run while the others are in jail.
Tribunal's investigation agency on January 30 completed investigation of the case and said to have found evidence against the four persons over their alleged involvement in crimes committed in 1971.
They were "involved" in killing of 22 people, rape of two women, arson attacks on and looting of some 15 houses under Durgapur and Kalmakanda police stations in the district between May 10 and November 18 in 1971, according to the agency.
Of them, Khalilur was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, in 1971 and first joined Razakar Bahini and subsequently in Al-Badr Bahini, the agency said. The three others were supporters of Muslim League and joined Razakar Bahini in 1971, it added.
The five incidents of crimes they were “involved” are killing of one person and abduction of another person at Bhulipara village in Durgapur, looting of and arson attacks on houses at Anandapur and Noagaon villages in Kalmakanda, killing of six people on the bank of the Bakla River, killing of five people at Shingpur village, and killing of 10 people including two rape incidents in Durgapur upazila.
Meanwhile, the tribunal allowed the prosecution's petition to interrogate Md Badruddoza alias Badiuzzaman, 78, of Narail Sadar upazila, at the investigation agency's safe home.
As per the order, investigators will be allowed to interrogate Badruddoza for one day on April 5, Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman said.
Among three other accused, Abdul Wahab and Omar Ali Sheikh are now in jail while Khandakar Shawkat Ali Babul is on the run. All of them were alleged members of Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army.
The tribunal also directed the prosecution to submit investigation report, if have any, on June 14 in the case filed against the four for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War.
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