ICT to deliver verdict today

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is set to deliver verdict today in a case filed against five Moulvibazar men for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam fixed the date, 51 days after it kept the case in waiting for delivery of verdict.

The case proceedings ended on November 20 last year after the prosecution and defence completed their closing arguments.

The accused are Yunus Ahmed, 71, Ujer Ahmed Chowdhury, 63, Samsul Hossain Tarafder, 65, Nesar Ali, 75, and Mobarak Mia, 66. Of them, Yunus and Ujer are in jail while the rest are on the run.

Wrapping up their arguments, the prosecution sought capital punishment for the accused claiming to have been able to prove all charges.

The defence counsels, however, said the prosecution could not prove any charge “beyond reasonable doubt”, and thus the accused should be acquitted.

The prosecutors pressed five charges against the accused on May 26 last year. They alleged that Samsul was an Al-Badr commander while the rest were members of Razakar Bahini. The prosecution produced 15 witnesses along with documents proving the charges against the five.

The charges include abducting, torturing and killing one Danu Mia; looting and torching three houses; confining three people; abducting, confining and torturing another three and looting and torching houses of one Harendra Bhattacharya between November 22 and December 5.

The charges also include killing one Jamini Mohan Dev and abducting, confining and torturing three people on November 25 and abducting four people including one Rasraj Bhattacharya on November 27.

The remaining charges are abducting and torturing four people and killing two between November 29 and December 8; and an act of genocide through killing 14 Hindus on December 29.