Trial of five men nears final stage
The case proceedings against five Patuakhali men is set to enter the final stage as the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday fixed April 16 for hearing the closing arguments.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam fixed the date after the defence counsels declined to produce any witness.
Earlier in the day, the tribunal completed recording cross-examination of Satya Ranjan Roy, the investigation officer and also the last (11th) prosecution witness in the case.
After completion of closing arguments of both the prosecution and the defence counsels, the tribunal will keep the case waiting for delivering a verdict.
The accused -- Esahaq Shikder, 83, Abdul Goni Hawlader, 72, Md Awal alias Awal Moulavi, 69, Abdus Sattar Pyada, 65, and Solaiman Mridha, 86, of Patuakhali Sadar upazila -- are in jail.
Of them, Esahaq was a member of “Patuakhali Peace Committee” while the other four were members of Razakar Bahini, according to the prosecution.
The prosecution pressed two charges against the five on October 13, 2016 and the tribunal took the charges into cognisance on November 17.
According to the charges, on May 4, 1971, the five along with a group of Pakistani army killed 17 people of Itbaria village, torched and looted 21 houses, and abducted six children, and 15 women, whom they confined to Patuakhali Circuit House and raped for 10 days.
Meanwhile, the tribunal directed the prosecution to submit an investigation report, if any, on March 29 in a case filed against a Rajshahi man for allegedly committing crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.
Yesterday was fixed for submitting the report but Prosecutor Sabina Yesmin Khan Munni sought one-month time. The tribunal allowed her prayer.
Accused Abdus Sattar alias Tipu Sultan, 66, of Boalia upazila, was an alleged member of Razakar Bahini during the war, according to the prosecution. He is now in jail.
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