Permission sought to arrest BNP MP
Investigators yesterday sought permission of the International Crimes Tribunal to arrest former BNP lawmaker from Joypurhat, Abdul Alim, in connection with crimes against humanity in 1971.
The investigators said they have found Alim's involvement in the crimes during primary investigation.
They also prayed to the tribunal for permission to interrogate Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, now detained on the same charges.
The war crimes investigation agency placed their prayers in three separate petitions filed with the tribunal by prosecutors through the tribunal registrar office yesterday afternoon.
Tribunal Registrar Md Shahinur Islam yesterday told The Daily Star the tribunal was yet to fix any date for hearing the petitions.
After submitting the petitions, Zead Al Malum, one of the prosecutors, told reporters at their office at the Old High Court Building that the investigators have found involvement of "notorious Razakar" Abdul Alim in killing, arson, looting, raping, and other offences during the War of Liberation.
Abdul Alim should be arrested for the sake of further investigation against him, he said.
Malum also said the investigators are about to finalise investigations into the war crimes allegations against Matiur Rahman Nizami and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury who should be brought into the custody of the investigation agency for interrogation.
Crimes against humanity fall under article 3 (2) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973, which also covers offences like war crimes, genocide, murder, abduction, confinement, torture, and rape.
If found guilty, the accused might be handed down up to capital punishment.
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid, Assistant Secretary Generals Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla, and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee are now behind bars on charges of crimes against humanity.
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