Tribunal allows probe against five suspects

Prosecution yesterday started placing closing arguments in a case against Sulaiman Mollah and Edris Ali Sarder of Shariatpur, who are facing four war crime charges, as the case entered its final stage.

At International Crimes Tribunal-1, Prosecutor Zead Al Malum placed his submission on the statuses of the two accused and their role during the Liberation War.

Sulaiman was a Muslim League leader who in 1971 formed the Peace Committee and Razakar Bahini in Shariatpur. Edris was a leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, and joined the Razakars, according to the prosecution.

Sulaiman is now in jail and pleads not guilty, while Edris is on the run

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Anwarul Haque adjourned the case proceedings until today when the prosecution will place further arguments.

After the conclusion of prosecution and defence arguments, the verdict will be delivered.

Meanwhile, the tribunal allowed a prosecution petition to interrogate five war crimes accused originally from Mymensingh at the safe home of the tribunal's investigation agency for one day between November 13 and 17.

The accused -- Khalilur Rahman Meer, Abul Kalam alias Samsuzzaman, Mohammad Abdullah, Abdul Malek Akanda alias Abul Hossain, and Akkel Ali alias Raisuddin Azadi -- are in jail.

The prosecution was asked to submit investigation report, if any, on January 22 next year on their alleged involvement in war crimes.