2 war crimes suspects arrested
Police arrested two war crimes suspects yesterday in Cox's Bazar following arrest warrants issued by the International Crimes Tribunal.
They are BNP leaders Md Rashid, 84, and Salamat Ullah Khan, 80. Rashid is also a former BNP lawmaker.
The ICT issued the arrest warrants for the two for their involvement in crimes against humanity, said Bakhtiar Uddin Chowdhury, sub-inspector (investigation) of Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station.
Following the order, Salamat, a senior member of Cox's Bazar BNP, was held from his house in Cox's Bazar town in the afternoon, the police official added.
Police nabbed Rashid, who is also a senior member of Cox's Bazar BNP, from his home at Boro Moheshkhali village, said Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Moheshkhali Police Station.
Earlier in the day, the tribunal-2 issued arrest warrants against them following the prosecution's prayer.
Investigation agency began probe into the allegations of war crimes against the two BNP leaders on May 12, 2014.
A war crimes case was filed against the two with Moheshkhali Police Station on July, 2014.
Prosecutor Tapas Kanti Baul told The Daily Star that the investigation officer, Nurul Islam, has got primary evidence of mass killings and genocide against Rashid and Salamat.
Salamat and Rashid were president and general secretary of Moheshkhali Thana Peace Committee respectively during the Liberation War in 1971.
Salamat is the founding president of Cox's Bazar district unit BNP, while Rashid is the founding vice-president of the committee.
In the 1979 general election, Rashid was elected a lawmaker in a Cox's Bazar constituency.
Comments