Charge accepted against JP MP Hannan, 7 others

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday took the charges into cognisance brought against eight Mymensingh men including Jatiya Party lawmaker MA Hannan and his son for their alleged involvement in crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque also asked the inspector general of police (IGP) to submit a report within two weeks about the three fugitives in the case and fixed February 1 next year for passing the next order.

Meanwhile, the tribunal framed five charges against two other Mymensingh men over the wartime crimes.

It also fixed January 31 next year to start the trial with the opening statement of the prosecution.

HANNAN'S CASE

Apart from Hannan, 80, lawmaker from Trishal in Mymensingh, other accused are Hannan's 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 them, Sattar, Fakruzzaman and Rabbani are on the run while the rest in jail. Hannan is the second sitting lawmaker facing the war crime charges. Executed war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was arrested in December 2010 when he was a lawmaker of BNP, the then opposition in parliament.

The prosecution on October 30 pressed six charges against the eight.

Most of the accused were either involved with Muslim League or Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, according to the tribunal investigation agency. Both Muslim League and Jamaat fought against the country's independence.

Currently, they are involved in the politics of Jatiya Party and Jamaat, it added.

The charges are abduction, torture and killing of sculptor Abdur Rashid of Purohitpara in Sadar upazila in between April 23 and 24; killing of Jatish Chandra Chakrabarty Sentu of Bolar Hindupara in Trishal on August 2, injuring two others and torching his houses; abduction, torture and killing of Abdur Rahman of Boiral Munshipara in between August 7 and 9; looting and torching the house of Abdur Rahman; abduction, torture and killing of Khandakar Abdul Ali Ratan of Jail Road under Sadar upazila in between November 17 and December 7; and abduction and torture of Abed Hossain Khan of Natun Bazar under Sadar upazila and KM Khalid Babu, former Awami League lawmaker from the district in 1971.

CHARGE FRAMED AGAINST TWO

Charges framed against accused Riaz Uddin Fakir, 65 and Wajuddin, 70, of Phulbaria upazila. Riaz is in jail while Wajuddin on the run.

Prosecution on March 23 pressed the charges against the duo and tribunal took the charges into cognisance on March 29.

The five charges are abduction, confinement, torture and murder of five; abduction, confinement, torture   and murder of two and rape and murder of a woman; genocide at Rishipara; extermination, abduction, confinement and torture at Achhim Bazar, Bashdi and Bhalukjan; and murder of three brothers of Bhalukjan village.