Razakar 'founder' awaits trial
Investigators bring 15 war crimes charges against Jamaat leader AKM Yusuf
Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf was involved in the killing of more than 700 people, and arson, looting, forced religious conversion and deportation of people during the Liberation War, an investigation agency said.
After around 15 month's investigation, the probe agency to investigate into the alleged crimes of Yusuf, historically known as the founder of the Razakar force, has brought allegations of 15 incidents of crimes against him.
The allegations include killing of around 700 people in six incidents of genocide, killing of eight people, forcing religious conversion of 200 Hindus, looting and arson of around 300 houses and 400 shops.
At a press briefing yesterday, investigation officer Helal Uddin said out of 15 incidents of crimes, they have evidence that Yusuf was present at the crime scenes of six. Yusuf ordered commissioning of the remaining nine crimes against humanity, Helal claimed.
The investigation agency coordinator Abdul Hannan Khan and Helal Uddin revealed the probe findings at the press briefing at the Dhanmondi “safe home” in the capital and submitted the 2,346-page probe report to the prosecution yesterday around 4:00pm.
"We will request the prosecution for taking necessary steps to arrest Yusuf and to frame formal charge against him," said Hannan.
Prosecution would formally submit charges before the tribunal after scrutinising the allegations.
The Razakars were the auxiliary force of the Pakistani Army that killed around 3 million people and rapped around a quarter million women during the Liberation War in 1971. The Razakar force was formed on May, 1971, and the then Pakistan government formally established the force through a gazette notification on August 2, 1971.
"During the investigation, we have found that all the anti-liberation elements including Razakars, peace committee members and even Pakistani army did not move without his order. He led all the anti-liberation elements," claimed investigator Helal.
Yusuf, 84, held anti-liberation meetings every day at places in Khulna region since around mid April of 1971. In such a meeting on April 19 in Rampal of Bagerhat, he called upon the people to loot Hindu of their belonging. After this, looting spread massively, said Helal.
Yusuf established the Razakar force at an Ansar camp in Khulna with 96 Jamaat activists, and he gave the name of the force “Razakar”, said agency coordinator Hannan.
Before establishing the force, Yusuf, as the chairman of the Peace Committee of greater Khulna (Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat), had formed peace committees in every sub-division, police station and union, said Hannan.
Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Yusuf, who was a member of AM Malek's cabinet in 1971, monitored activities of several peace committees, Razakar and Al-Badr forces and delivered speeches at different anti-liberation rallies, said Hannan.
The probe agency started the investigation into the alleged crimes of Yusuf, who hails from Rajair Kaliarpar under Sharankhola in Bagerhat, on January 22, 2012, and concluded it on Sunday.
Yusuf was arrested under the Collaborator Order, 1972, after independence but was released later, Helal said.
The international crimes tribunals have already delivered verdicts against two Jamaat leaders Abdul Qader Mollah and Delawar Hossain Sayedee while two war crime cases against former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam and Muhammad Kamaruzzaman are awaiting verdict delivery.
Expelled Jamaat member Abul Kalam Azad was also sentenced to death.
Besides, Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and General Secretary Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed are facing the trials. Investigations against three detained Jamaat leaders -- Mir Quashem Ali, Abdus Sobhan and ATM Azharul Islam -- are underway.
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