Charges pressed against 5 Kishoreganj 'Razakars'
The prosecution yesterday pressed seven charges over the involvement of five Kishoreganj “Razakars” in crimes, including mass killing, murder, confinement, torture, arson and looting, in Karimganj upazila between August 25 and November 13 during the 1971 Liberation War.
The three-member International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 led by Justice M Enayetur Rahim fixed May 13 to decide on taking the charges into cognisance. It also expressed discontent as four of the five, according to police, are still fugitives.
Gazi Abdul Mannan, 88, the alleged commander of Karimganj Razakar camp, and alleged Razakar members Nasiruddin Ahmed, 62, and his brother Shamsuddin Ahmed, 60, Hafiz Uddin, 66, and Azharul Islam, 60, were “involved” in at least seven criminal incidents, says the prosecution.
Only Shamsuddin is now in jail. Prosecutors Sultan Mahmud Simon, Rezia Sultana Chaman and Tapos Kanti Baul submitted the formal charges and other documents to the tribunal through its registrar officer.
The charges are: killing of eight people and injuring of another of four villages on November 12; killing of Miah Hossain of Aila village on November 13; abduction and killing of Abdur Gafur of Kalatali on September 26; abduction, torture and killing of Fazlur Rahman of Atkapara on August 23; killing of Paresh Chandra Sarkar of Ramnagar on September 7; torture and killing of Abu Bakar Siddique and Rapali on August 25; and arson and vandalism in Atkapara on September 15.
JAMALPUR AL-BADR
Meanwhile, ICT-2 directed the inspector general of police to submit by May 17 a report for the second time specifically stating whether six of eight Jamalpur “Al-Badr men” were “absconding” and whether their arrest would be possible.
Shamsul Haque, 75, and AKM Yusuf Ali, 83, were held following arrest warrants the tribunal issued on March 2 against the eight based on the prosecution's petition.
Law enforcers then submitted the first report on execution of the arrest warrants only saying that they could not arrest the others.
The two, along with Ashraf Hossain, 64, Prof Sharif Ahammed, 71, Abdul Mannan, 66, Abdul Bari, 62, Harun, 58, and Abul Hashem, 65, were allegedly involved with Al-Badr Bahini, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation army.
The tribunal on April 29 accepted five war crimes charges against the eight including murder, abduction and torture committed in Jamalpur during the Liberation War.
The tribunal also adjourned proceedings against alleged Razakar Forkan Mallik until May 13 following a defence petition seeking time.