BNP leader Khokon faces 10 charges

Zahid Hossain

The prosecution yesterday pressed 10 charges against Faridpur BNP leader MA Zahid Hossain Khokon also known as Khokon Razakar in connection with his alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War.
The prosecution submitted the charges against Khokon, who was a local leader of the Razakar force in Faridpur, to the International Crimes Tribunal-1 through its registrar's office.
They also appealed to the court to issue a warrant of arrest against the 70-year-old war crimes suspect, who is believed to be on the run.
The investigation agency designated to probe war crimes completed investigation into Khokon's alleged war crimes on May 29. It said it had found “sufficient evidence” about his involvement in war crimes.
Khokon, the incumbent mayor of Nagarkanda municipality in Faridpur, was “involved” in at least 13 incidents of war crimes, which left at least 50 people dead, eight others seriously injured and two women raped, the agency said.
Besides, the suspect was “involved” in forced conversion of nine Hindus, setting fire to numerous houses and two temples, and deportation of seven people, it added.
Prosecutor Muklesur Rahman Badal yesterday told reporters that they had also submitted the investigation report, statements of witnesses and other documents to the registrar's office.
On the allegations, Badal said Khokon was a “self-proclaimed Razakar” who preferred to introduce himself as a collaborator in his locality.
Khokon's elder brother Zafar, who was also a Razakar leader, and some other Pakistani army men were killed in a battle with freedom fighters at Chandhaat on May 29, 1971, Badal said.
After Zafar's death, Khokon became the leader of the Razakar force in Nagarkanda and his force along with the Pakistani army had committed several crimes including murder, rape, and forced conversion there.
Badal said they had pressed 10 charges in connection with 13 incidents, as some of those incidents had taken place on the same day. There were 50 prosecution witnesses in the case, he added.
According to the investigation agency, Khokon, who was a close associate of Abul Kalam Azad, a condemned war criminal from Faridpur, had taken part in an election campaign for a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in 1970, and was involved with the party. Later, he joined the BNP.
As the vice-president of Nagarkanda unit BNP, Khokon contested the municipality election in 2011 and became its mayor. After taking the oath, he went into hiding and the agency “assumed” that he is now in Sweden with his son and daughter.
The tribunal would decide about taking the case into cognisance as per relevant laws.