A special tribunal yesterday handed down death penalty to a Razakar from Bagerhat and jail until death to another for committing crimes during the Liberation War.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 found Sheikh Sirajul Haque alias Siraj Master, 73, guilty of five charges out of the six brought against him and gave him death penalty on each of the charges. The charges include two acts of genocide which killed over 600 Hindus.

Siraj, widely known as "Kasai (butcher) Siraj" for his 1971 notorieties, can be executed either by "hanging or shooting" as decided by the government, said the tribunal.

Razakar Khan Akram Hossain, 62, was found guilty on one charge out of three for crimes against humanity and was awarded jail until death. Another accused in the case, Abdul Latif Talukder, was exempted from the trial after he had died at the prison cell of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on July 28.

"We are happy today…. Although the day came after a long wait, we are happy to see the killer [Siraj] of my uncles tried and punished at last," prosecution witness Shishir Kumar Biswas told The Daily Star.

His four paternal uncles were killed at Dakra Kalibari Temple in Rampal upazila in an act of genocide committed under the leadership of Siraj on May 21, 1971.

The prosecution, victims' families and freedom fighters also expressed satisfaction at the verdict. The defence counsels, however, said they will challenge the verdict in the higher court.

The prosecution had brought seven charges against the three accused. Of the charges, four were leveled at Siraj alone, two at all the three accused and one at Akram and Latif.

The five charges that carried death sentence for Siraj are: act of genocide at Ranajitpur under Bagerhat Sadar upazila that killed 40/50 Hindus on May 13; act of genocide at Dakra Kalibari Temple under Rampal upazila on May 21 that killed 600/700 Hindus; killing of 19 at Kandapara Bazar in Bagerhat Sadar upazila on June 18; killing of seven people at Chulkathi Bazar under Bagerhat Sadar upazila on October 14; and killing of 42 people, including 40 Hindus, at Shakharikathi Bazar in Kachua upazila on November 5.

Tribunal Chairman Justice M Enayetur Rahim said all these crimes were worst and barbarous and particularly shocking to the conscience of mankind.

"Sheikh Sirajul Haque alias Siraj Master had direct complicity and substantially participated, abetted, contributed and facilitated commission of such barbarous types of crimes and as such no punishment other than death will be equal to the said horrendous crimes…," he added.

Though Siraj had committed such crimes, he never showed repentance. So the court did not find any reason to give him a lesser punishment, said the judge.

After the execution of a death penalty, Siraj's other sentences will merge with it, said the tribunal.

The accused, however, was acquitted on a charge of abduction and killing of five people of as many villages under Kachua upazila on October 22.

Khan Akram was handed down "imprisonment for life till his natural death" for killing a freedom fighter at Teligati Bazar of Morelganj upazila on December 13.

The tribunal expressed disappointment over the failure of the investigation agency and the prosecution in bringing the co-perpetrators of the crimes to book. "We are constrained to express our dissatisfaction at such unmindful investigation into the case," read the verdict.

Siraj and Akarm were produced before the tribunal at 10:55am. The three-member tribunal read out the summery of the 133-page verdict in around an hour and 20 minutes. Two other members of the tribunal are Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Anwarul Haque.

Clad in white panjabi, pajama and prayer cap, Siraj was seen hearing the judgment from the dock in the courtroom while Akram was seated on a chair in the dock, wearing brown panjabi and black trouser.

Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon, the conducting prosecutor of the case, said they were happy with the verdict.

A correspondent from Bagerhat reports: Freedom fighters, victims' families, and Awami League leaders and activists brought out processions in Bagerhat to hail the verdict. They demanded the government ensure prompt execution of the judgement.

Akram's lawyer Sarwar Hossain said they would challenge the verdict with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court as they did not get "justice".

Abul Hasan, the state-appointed defence counsel for Siraj, said he would advise his client to file an appeal. As per the International Crimes Tribunal act, the convicts will get 30 days from yesterday to file appeals with the apex court.

Sirajul Haque, son of Harejuddin Sheikh of Gotapara under Bagerhat Sadar upazila; and Khan Akram, son of Joynal Abedin Khan of Daibaggahati under Morelganj upazila; were arrested in June and July last year.

The prosecution produced 32 witnesses, including the investigating officer of the case, before the court while five witnesses defended Akram and Latif.

With the yesterday's verdict, two war crimes tribunals have so far announced 21 judgements against 24 war criminals.