Verdict against 8 Jamalpur war criminals tomorrow

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 will pronounce judgement in the crimes against humanity case against 8 alleged war criminals from Jamalpur tomorrow.

The eight accused are: Md Ashraf Hossain, 64, Sharif Ahammed, 71, Abdul Mannan, 66, Abdul Bari,62, Md Harun, 58, Abul Hashem, 65, Shamsul Haque, 75, and SM Eusuf Ali, 83. Of them, only Shamsul and Yusuf are in jail.

The ICT-1 set the date through a short order this morning as Justice Anwarul Haque, chairman of the two-member panel of the tribunal ordered "we are keeping the verdict to be pronounced tomorrow." The tribunal also ordered the jail authority to produce the two accused, who are in jail in the case, before the court tomorrow morning.

Earlier on June 19, the tribunal kept the date of the verdict on CAV, saying it would deliver the judgement on any day.

The ICT-1 passed that order as defense council Ehsan A Siddique concluded his arguments on legal aspect, followed by prosecutor Tureen Afroz with her rebuttal.

"We are putting the verdict on CAV (curia advisary vult, a Latin legal term meaning court awaits verdict)," said Justice Anwarul Haque, chairman of the three-member panel of the ICT-1.

Earlier at the end of her arguments against the accused, senior prosecutor Barrister Tureen sought maximum punishment for the accused, saying death is only punishment they deserve. Defense counsel Syed Mizanur Rahman, however, pleaded for justice on his part.

The ICT-1 on October 26, 2015, indicted the accused, framing five charges of crimes against humanity against them.

According to the prosecution, Ashraf was the president of the then Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS) in Jamalpur and founded Al-Badr in his locality in 1971. The other accused too were involved with ICS and its mother organization Jamaat and subsequently joined Al-Badr, Razakar and Peace Committee, notorious auxiliary forces of Pakistani occupation army.

They carried out mayhem in Jamalpur sub-division in 1971. In the indictment order, the tribunal charged them for committing abduction, confinement, torture, murder, plundering, arson and other notorious activities.

Source: BSS