4 Satkhira men charged with war crimes

Prosecution has pressed seven specific charges against four Satkhira men including the district ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami over their alleged involvement in crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

According to the charges submitted to a special tribunal on Sunday, the four were allegedly involved in killing of six persons, torturing of 14 people and raping of two women in different areas of Sadar and Ashashuni upazilas.

After receiving the charges and other documents, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 fixed April 20 to decide whether it would accept the charges.

The accused are Abdul Khaleq Mandol, 72, Satkhira Jamaat's chief and former lawmaker; M Abdullah Al Baki alias Abdullah Hel Baki, 103; Khan Rokonuzzaman, 64, and Jahirul Islam alias Jahirul Haque alias Tikka Khan.

All of them are from the Sadar upazila. Of them, Khaleq Mandol is in jail while Baki was released on bail. The two are yet to be arrested.

Tribunal's investigation agency on February 8 said to have found evidence against the four persons.

According to the agency, Khaleq was involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, since 1967 and during the war. He acted as the organiser of Razakar Bahini in Satkhira.