Charges against three suspects accepted

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday took the charges into cognisance brought against three Netrakona men for allegedly committing crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque also directed the inspector general of police to submit a report within two weeks about a fugitive accused of the case. It also fixed March 7 for passing next order in the case.

The accused are Hedayet Ullah Anju, 80, and his brother Enayet Ullah Manju, 70, and Sohrab Fakir, 88, of Kulshree village in Atpara of the district. Of them, Manju and Sohrab are in jail while Hedayet is on the run.

The prosecution on November 28 last year pressed five charges against the three.

Hedayet was a Jamaat-e-Islami leader while the other were activists in 1971 and all of them first joined local Peace Committees and Razakar Bahini, according to the prosecution. Hedayet contested the Pakistan National Election in 1970 with Jamaat ticket but was defeated. He and his brother are still involved with Jamaat, they said.

The charges include looting and torching of 20 to 30 houses in Madhuakhali village on May 29 and abduction and killing of two people, Malek Talukder and Kala Chand Munshi, of Mobarakpur village on August 23.

Other charges are abduction and killing of one Helim Talukder of Madan village under Madan Police Station on August 30 and genocide in Sukhari village of Atpara on September 3 that left seven Hindus dead and forced several Hindu families of Sukhari to leave the country on September 5, and looting and torching of 150 to 200 houses in Madan village on September 6.

Meanwhile, the tribunal recorded the testimony of Hari Debnath, the investigation officer of the case against two Kishoreganj men who allegedly committed crimes in 1971.

The accused are Syed Mohammad Hussain alias Hossain and Muhammad Moslem Pradhan. Hussain and Moslem face six charges. Moslem is now in jail and pleads not guilty while Hussain is on the run.

In his testimony, Hari showed several documents, which he seized during his investigation and the prosecution later submitted those as their evidence. The tribunal adjourned the case proceeding until today when he will face further cross-examination.