War Crimes: Verdict on 5 Patuakhali men any day

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver verdict any day in a case filed against five Patuakhali men for allegedly committing crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam yesterday kept the verdict waiting after both the prosecution and defence completed their closing arguments.

Prosecutor Zead Al Malum sought capital punishment for all the accused saying that they had been able to prove all the charges.

On the other hand, Abdus Sattar Palwan, one of the defence counsels, sought acquittal of his clients claiming that the prosecution had utterly failed to prove any charges.

The accused -- Esahaq Shikder, 83, Abdul Goni Hawlader, 72, Md Awal alias Awal Moulavi, 69, Abdus Sattar Pyada, 65, and Solaiman Mridha, 86, of Patuakhali Sadar upazila -- are in jail.

The prosecution on October 13 in 2016 pressed two charges against them. The accused were alleged members of Razakar Bahini. They, however, pleaded not guilty.

According to the charges, on May 4, 1971, the five along with a group of Pakistani army killed 17 people of Itbaria village, torched and looted 21 houses, and abducted six children and 15 women, whom they confined to Patuakhali Circuit House and raped for 10 days.

The prosecution produced 11 witnesses including the case's investigation officer and several documents to prove the charges. The defence, however, declined to produce any witness.