MP Hannan, 7 others accused of war crimes

Jatiya Party lawmaker MA Hannan, his son and six of his associates had direct links with three torture camps set up in Mymensingh during the Liberation War and they were involved in at least five crimes, investigators said yesterday.

“Hannan was one of the patrons of the anti-liberation forces in Mymensingh region and he is the main accused in the case for crimes against humanity,” Abdul Hannan Khan, coordinator of the International Crimes Tribunal's Investigation Agency, told reporters at its Dhanmondi office.

He said the accused were involved in arson, looting, abduction, confinement, torture, and killing committed in Mymensingh in between April 21 and December 10 in 1971.

The case was filed on July 28 last year. Investigation into the case had begun on the same day and completed yesterday.

The accused are Hannan, 80, lawmaker from Trishal (Mymensingh-7) and also a presidium member of JP, his son Rafique Sajjad, 62, Khandakar Golam Sabbir Ahmed, 69, Mizanur Rahman Mintu, 63, Hormuj Ali, 73, Mohammad Abdus Sattar, 64, Mohammad Fakruzzaman, 61, and Khandakar Golam Rabbani, 63. Of the eight, Sattar, Fakruzzaman and Rabbani are fugitives, while the rest are now behind bars.

The JP leader is the second sitting lawmaker arrested on charges of committing crimes against humanity. Executed war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was arrested in December 2010 when he was a lawmaker of the BNP, the then main opposition party in parliament.

The JP is now the main opposition party in Jatiya Sangshad. Three of its lawmakers are members of the cabinet of the Awami League-led government. JP Chairman HM Ershad is a special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Investigation agency coordinator Hannan Khan said most of the accused were either involved with Muslim League or Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami. Both the organisations had opposed birth of Bangladesh. Currently, most of the eight are involved with the politics of JP and Jamaat.

The accused had links with three torture camps at Mymensingh District Rest House, East Pakistan Agricultural University campus, now Bangladesh Agricultural University, and Hannan's house on Rambabu Road in Mymensingh town, Khan informed newsmen.

The five charges are abduction, torture and killing of sculptor Abdur Rashid of Purohitpara in Mymensingh on April 23 and 24; killing of Jatish Chandra Chakraborty Sentu of Bolar Hindupara in Trishal on August 2, injuring two others and torching houses of Hindus; abduction, torture and killing of Abdur Rahman of Boiral Munshipara in Trishal in between August 7 and 9; abduction, torture and killing of Khandakar Abdul Ali Ratan of Jail Road area in Mymensingh in between November 17 and December 7; and abductions and torture of Abed Hossain Khan of Natun Bazar in Mymensingh and KM Khalid Babu, former AL lawmaker from the district.

Later yesterday Investigating Officer of the case Motiur Rahman handed over the probe report, statements of witnesses and other related documents to the chief prosecutor's office. The prosecution would now scrutinise the documents before submitting formal charges to the tribunal praying that it takes cognisance of the charges.

Meanwhile, Sanaul Huq, co-coordinator of the investigation agency, said they launched a probe against a former Bangalee army man for allegedly working for the Pakistan army during the Liberation War and committing crimes against humanity. He, however, declined to give details of the accused.