Verdict in Mobarak case today

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 is set to deliver today the verdict in the war crimes case against Mobarak Hossain, a leader of Brahmanbaria Awami League, for his alleged crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

The alleged “Razakar commander” faces five charges of crimes against humanity and genocide committed in 1971.

The 64-year-old, now behind bars, served as the AL organising secretary of Mugra union unit of Akhaura upazila for 16 years until 2012.

He was allegedly involved in murder, abduction, confinement, torture and looting homes of their valuables while serving as a member of Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971, according to the charges pressed against him.

After fixing the date for delivering the verdict yesterday, the Tribunal-1, headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim, asked the prison authorities to produce Mobarak before the court by 10:00am today.

Mobarak, as a commander of the Razakar force, substantially “participated in”, “contributed to” and “facilitated” the commission of crimes in different parts of Brahmanbaria in 1971, the prosecution say.

The prosecution believe they have been able to prove all five charges “beyond any reasonable doubt,” while the defence claim their client is “innocent” and would be acquitted by the tribunal.

Twelve prosecution witnesses including the investigation officer of the case have testified against the war crimes accused, while two -- Mobarak himself and his son -- testified as defence witnesses.

On April 23 last year, the tribunal indicted Mobarak for his alleged war crimes.

Khodeja Begum, daughter of Abdul Khalek, filed a case against Mobarak with a Brahmanbaria court in 2009. The case was later transferred to the Tribunal-1.

An investigation agency, designated to probe war crimes, on January 23 last year completed the probe into Mobarak's alleged involvement in crimes against humanity.

The prosecution submitted formal charges against him on February 25 last year and the court took the charges into cognisance on March 12 that year.

CHARGES

On August 22, 1971, Mobarak and his accomplices called a meeting of locals at the house of Noor Bokhsa at Tanmandayl and around 130 people showed up.

As part of a plan, they kept the locals confined and raided their homes, abducted villagers and took the people they confined to a Pakistan army camp near Ganga Sagar Dighi.

Later, Mobarak and his associates selected 33 people and confined them to Terojhuri Hazat Khana. The Pakistan army and Razakars took them to the west bank of Ganga Sagar Dighi, compelled them to dig a ditch, then they gunned them down and buried them there the next day.

During the war, Mobarak and other anti-liberation elements captured Anandamoyee Kalibari, a Hindu temple, which was renamed as Razakar Manzil, looted the temple of valuables and damaged its idols.

On October 24, 1971, Mobarak abducted college student Ashu Ranjan of Shimrayl village and shot him dead four days later.

On November 11, 1971, Mobarak and his armed associates abducted Abdul Khaleque of Satian village, took him to the Razakar camp of Suhilpur Union Parishad and tortured him there.

The accused shot him and charged bayonet to confirm his death.

On November 24 or 25, a Razakar team led by Mobarak abducted Khadem Hossain Khan of Kharampur and brutally tortured him.

On November 28 or 29, Mobarak along with the Pakistan army abducted Abdul Malek of Kharampur and Mohammad Siraj of Amirpara and shot them dead on December 6.

In the last 23 days, the two tribunals delivered judgments in three war crimes cases against two Jamaat bigwigs -- Motiur Rahman Nizami and Mir Quasem Ali -- and one local BNP leader of Faridpur -- MA Zahid Hossain Khokon.